00:02Tom Tate, thanks very much for your time.
00:04Hard to believe it's been a year since Cyclone Alfred.
00:07One of the biggest impacts surely was to the beaches.
00:11Millions of cubic metres washed away. You've had to spend millions of dollars
00:15putting it all back again. Is that work finished now?
00:18I think we've probably got another 3-4 months just to fine-tune
00:24in a vulnerable part of our beach, that is
00:27the northern part, Narrow Neck and the main beach.
00:32We'll start again in April and do that.
00:36Four months of that, that would complete the
00:40Operation Rainbow, I call it, because the dread sucks
00:43the sand just behind the surf and rainbows the sand
00:47that shoot in the tube and lands in front of the surf
00:51and the surf pushes into the beach. That's been very effective.
00:55And is that the strategy going into the future? This kind of
00:59storm washes it away, you guys pump it back in.
01:02I mean, is that sustainable?
01:04No, it's not.
01:05What you've got to do is you've got to learn
01:07to go, right, how do we build up our sand reserve?
01:12And we've got things in place for that.
01:15How do we protect our beach in the vulnerable part?
01:18We did that with Palm Beach in creating artificial reef
01:22and I think we spent about 15 to 20 million dollars on that.
01:28In some respects, I guess we were lucky.
01:31This system wasn't even cyclone strength when it did hit the mainland.
01:35So the damage, I guess, could have been much worse.
01:38Are you confident that the sea wall can withstand
01:43the potential for much stronger systems?
01:46It's very, very solid.
01:49Will it withstand an Alfred?
01:52I think it, or stronger than Alfred, I think it will.
01:55You'd want to be a bit more confident than that, wouldn't you?
01:58You know, when it comes to Mother Nature,
02:02it's about, it's a bit like asking a girl for a date.
02:06I think she'll say yes, but you know what?
02:09I've got a lot of no's.
02:10So with Mother Nature, I think she'll be alright,
02:14but she can come in very strong because
02:17it's been 70 years since Category 5 has visited the Gold Coast.
02:23And that part of it, well, we haven't been tested at that level.
02:31The older buildings, 50-50 chance that they will survive.
02:36Do you think you're ready for the next cyclone, if and when it comes?
02:39We continue to prepare. Are we ready?
02:42I thought we were ready last time.
02:44Each time we get hit, we're more ready than last time.
02:48That's the best I can tell you.
02:50Can I ask you about your trip to the US?
02:52Sure.
02:53It took the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese,
02:57months and months to get a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump.
03:00How does Tom Tate, Gold Coast Mayor,
03:02secure a dinner with the President at Mar-a-Lago, no less?
03:06I wrote to the President early on in peace, congratulations and all that sort of stuff.
03:14In that letter, I remind him that the alliance between America and us has been around for so long.
03:23I mean, without the Pacific warfare out there 50 years ago, I would say we would be eating sushi.
03:31Right?
03:32But how did the dinner come about? Who issued that invitation?
03:35Well, what happens is the time organization knew about me and they analyze also that they want to invest first
03:45in Australia.
03:45And the Gold Coast, if you analyze the data, it's one of those best investment when it comes to property.
03:52Then they went, well, we want to sign the agreement and it'd be great if you can come and join
03:58the signing ceremony.
03:59So the Gold Coast got a currency to meet the leader of the free world.
04:05So at the dinner then, does Donald Trump or Eric Trump seek your assurance before this $1.5 billion deal
04:15is signed for a proposed Trump Tower?
04:17Do they seek an assurance from you that you're on side, that the council will approve?
04:21They're professional. They know that councillors has to have an open mind and persuadable.
04:29But I know that this site has already got a current approval for an 89-storey building with a 5
04:38-storey car park underneath.
04:41So that's already tipped.
04:43Do you have an open mind though? Or you support it, don't you, this tower?
04:48With what I see, I think it fits the character of Surface Paradise.
04:52They're going for top of the range.
04:54I think they'll spend the extra dollars to overcome any concern we may have.
05:00Will the community get a say? Is there public consultation?
05:03Because I'm sure you're aware there's this petition that has over 100,000 signatures on it opposing it.
05:08I've looked at some of those and I would take on board the people with real property-specific objection.
05:21Not objection because of brand or politics.
05:25Because I can't, it's illegal for me to go,
05:27well it's that person submitting the application,
05:33therefore I bow to the political pressure and won't approve it.
05:37That's illegal for me to do.
05:39The visit to Mar-a-Laga, was that rate payer funded?
05:44No.
05:45No.
05:45So did you pay for it or who paid for it then?
05:49Well some parts of it, some part of the trip I pay,
05:56and some other parts I was an invitation as mayor of the city to be there.
06:02By the Trump organisation?
06:04By the Trump organisation.
06:05Or by David Young?
06:06No, by the Trump organisation.
06:09So, so...
06:10And that's a gift that you will declare I suppose?
06:13I think that, I was there as mayor of the city.
06:15So that's a gift to the city, not to me.
06:21Because I'm pretty sure Tom Tate wouldn't have gotten an invite.
06:24Mayor of the Gold Coast got the invite.
06:26Mayor, thank you so much for your time.
06:28My pleasure, any time you like.
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