The next million?plus supercity

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has revealed his plans to transform the Gold Coast into Australia’s next million?person city.

In a recent address to builders at Conrad Jupiters, Mr Rudd outlined how the city has emerged as a national powerhouse.

According to Mr Rudd, the Gold Coast has come of age and is likely to accommodate at least 1.2 million people by the year 2050.

“In our nation, a city has come of age if it makes it into one of the national footy codes” he said.

“The Gold Coast has managed to attract three major codes, which are now queuing up to get teams here in recent years” he added.

Mr Rudd also said that the Gold Coast is the site of a footy?wars battleground.

“The Gold Coast is absolute ground zero in the tussle between three great football codes, each one fighting for the loyalty of new supporters in this fast?growing region” he said.

Mr Rudd went on to tell delegates at the Master Builders Association national conference that the Gold Coast had recorded extraordinary growth over the past 12 months.

“The inter?generational report that will soon be released forecasts that by 2049 the Australian
population will rise by almost 60 per cent to bring us to 35 – 36 million people”.

“Most of those people will be in our cities. Brisbane will almost double its size. Sydney and
Melbourne will reach seven million apiece”.

On the Gold Coast the population is predicted to double by 2050 to 1.2 million. He added that as the national population increases, we will see the invasion of interstate migrants.

Mr Rudd said he believed passionately in a ‘big Australia’. “Looking towards a big Australia is in the interest of our national security, and in the interest of our economy”.

Source: ‘Start building for Kevin, we’re the next million?plus supercity’ by Geoff Chambers. Gold Coast Bulletin, 03/11/2009.