GOLD Coast City Council finance boss Eddy Sarroff has bitten the bullet and pushed for roundtable discussions with the construction and property industry to thrash out solutions to crippling infrastructure charges.

The move comes on the eve of the Federal Government’s wind-back of the first-home owner boost, which has kept the Gold Coast’s residential market afloat, and another planned increase in infrastructure charges for city development.

Cr Sarroff wants all councillors to attend a forum with the Urban Development Institute of Australia, Master Builders Association, Housing Industry Association, Property Council of Australia and Sustainable Development Gold Coast.

He said yesterday council had endorsed the move.

“I think it’s important to get all these issues on the table. It’s good business for us to start working through the issues,” said Cr Sarroff, but he conceded: “We might not agree with all the issues.”

The industry groups want councillors to consider introducing a discount similar to Brisbane City Council, abandoning the council’s proposed 20 per cent increases in water and sewer charges, and a detailed economic report into the overall impact of infrastructure charges on the wider Gold Coast.

UDIA Gold Coast president Col Dutton praised Cr Sarroff’s ’strong leadership’ in encouraging all councillors to take a first-hand look at the impact of infrastructure charges.

“Cr Sarroff realises one in seven workers are employed via construction on the Gold Coast, which is well above the national average of one in 10,” said Mr Dutton.

“When council charges cause struggling developers to stall or abandon projects, every councillor has constituents in their backyard who feel the effects.

“The Gold Coast’s workforce needs councillors to stand up on this

Source: Nick Nichols