03march2015

TUE 03 MARCH 2015

Mediaportal Report

Golden miles01 Mar 2015Kia Ora, New Zealand, General News

Page 28 • 1222 words • ASR AUD 83,618Photo: Yes • Type: News Item • Size: 5,029.00 cm² • NZ • New Zealand • CompanyPress • ID: 378818330

When most people think of the Gold Coast, they think of a place where the heels are high and the clothing diminutive, ~" wherethe locals are fit, the surf breaks busy, the nightlife thumping, and where the high-rises glitter for miles along anozone-drenched coastline of caramel sand. They're right. The Gold Coast is all of these things, and all of these things aregood. But look beyond the shimmering towers of "The GC", and its true treasures come into focus, those of a naturalplayground extending the length of a 70km coastline and into a hinterland with 100,000ha of World Heritagelisted rainforest. It'sa playground forged not by people, but by the forces of land and sea: continental drift, flowing lava and millennia of wave actionthat have churned the quartz-rich beach sand into a soft beige talc. No one needs to be told to go play outside on the GoldCoast - its outdoors is irresistible. Stretching from the tip of South Stradbroke Island to Coolangatta on the New South Walesborder, the Gold Coast, with more than half a million inhabitants, is actually Australia's largest non-capital city. Its most famoussuburb is Surfers Paradise, renamed in 1933 when a group of locals, in a flash of branding brilliance, lobbied to have theoriginal name of Elston changed to that of the resident Surfers Paradise Hotel. The hotel burned down, but the moniker stayed,and Surfers is now world headquarters for the surf-all-day, club-allnight lifestyle. But there's plenty for non-clubbers too. Forone, Surfers is a whale-watching mecca. It's the key departure point for boat tours to the "Humpback Highway", where, fromJune through October, more than 10,000 humpback whales swim by on their way to give birth at Great Barrier Reef.View original - 1222 word(s), ~6 min(s)

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Email: Bonnie says pedestrians must be kept away from the airport road. Bonnie says a ...02 Mar 2015 9:15 AM4CA AM, Cairns, John Mackenzie, John MacKenzie

Duration: 0 min 21 secs • ASR AUD 43 • QLD • Australia • Company Radio & TV • ID: V00060821004

Email: Bonnie says pedestrians must be kept away from the airport road. Bonnie says a footpath or cycle path throughmangroves would be ideal and safe. Bonnie says traveller's best and quickest option is a regular bus service to and from CBD.Bonnie says there is room for both taxis and an efficient bus service. Bonnie says the airport [Cairns airport] is the only airportshe knows that has no bus service.

COPYRIGHT This report and its contents are for the internal research use of Mediaportal subscribers only and may not beprovided to any third party by any means for any purpose without the express permission of isentia and/or the relevantcopyright owner. For more information contact [email protected]

DISCLAIMER isentia uses multiple audience data sources for press, internet, TV and radio, including AGB Nielsen MediaResearch, Audit Bureau of Circulations, comScore, CSM Media Research, GfK Radio Ratings, OzTAM, Nielsen, ResearchInternational and TNS. For general information purposes only. Any ASRs and audience figures are an estimate only andmay be subject to error or omission. iSentia makes no representations and, to the extent permitted by law, excludes allwarranties in relation to the information contained in the report and is not liable for any losses, costs or expenses, resultingfrom any use or misuse of the report.

http://www.mediaportal.com/0yu649993659

Queensland's south-east is in the middle of a construction boom. Grant Galvin from ...02 Mar 2015 6:35 PMChannel 9, Brisbane, National Nine News, Andrew Lofthouse and Melissa Downes

Duration: 2 mins 19 secs • ASR AUD 43,185 • QLD • Australia • Issues Radio & TV • ID: M00060825088

Queensland's south-east is in the middle of a construction boom. Grant Galvin from Master Builders says this calendar year willsee 40,000 new dwellings which is a 14% increase year on year. Newlook unit developments are also on the rise. In theMoreton Bay Regional Council area there is $420m worth of development including a $65m Aldi distribution centre underway.In Brisbane, towers are spearheading $1.7b worth of construction. In Logan there is $445m worth of development. Along theGold Coast, Commonwealth Games developments are well under way.

Interviewees

Diaswati Mardiasmo, PRD Nationwide|Grant Galvin, Master Builders|Peter Richardson, Bay BreezeTerraces|Stephen Veness, Davidson Recruitment

Also broadcast from the following 9 stations

Channel 9 Gold Coast (Gold Coast North), River FM (Ipswich), WIN Cairns (Cairns), WIN Mackay (Mackay), WINRockhampton (Rockhampton), WIN Sunshine Coast (Sunshine Coast), WIN Toowoomba (Toowoomba), WINTownsville (Townsville), WIN Wide Bay (Bundaberg)

CHATROOM03 Mar 2015Gold Coast Bulletin, Gold Coast QLD, General News

Page 15 • 499 words • ASR AUD 1,199Photo: No • Type: News Item • Size: 190.00 cm² • QLD • Australia • Company Press •ID: 378971328

TEXT: 0416 905 148 AM I the only one who finds it disappointing that the men's surfing comp winner get 100k and thewomen's gets 60k? They are equally skilled surfing the same waves on the same ocean. I thought we were trying to close thegap, not just turn a blind eye to it.View original - 499 word(s), ~2 min(s)

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Hoteliers dismiss report they failed to capitalise on G2003 Mar 2015Cairns Post, Cairns QLD, General News, Nick Dalton

Page 6 • 303 words • ASR AUD 671Photo: No • Type: News Item • Size: 151.00 cm² • QLD • Australia • Company Press • ID:378968567

HOTELIERS in Cairns have rejected a report that they did not financially take advantage of the G20 Finance Ministers meetingin the city last year. A Deloitte Access Economics' Tourism and Hotel Market Outlook said Brisbane rates went up by morethan 40 per cent during G20, yet did not increase in Cairns. Hotels say their rates did go up but only for a few hotels in theCBD.View original - 303 word(s), ~1 min(s)

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Wanda pairs up for mega-project03 Mar 2015The Australian, Australia, Property, Greg Brown

Page 30 • 347 words • ASR AUD 3,961Photo: No • Type: News Item • Size: 196.00 cm² • National • Australia • Issues Press •ID: 378857406

EXCLUSIVE GREG BROWN DEVELOPMENT CHINESE property giant Dalian Wanda Group is set to dramatically increase itslocal footprint, with the group striking a joint venture agreement with Ridong Group to develop a multi-billiondollar project on asite near the Commonwealth Games village on the Gold Coast. The agreement, foreshadowed in The Australian last year, willbe the second Gold Coast project the two groups will jointly develop, with the pair also building the $970 million Jewel hotel andapartment complex in Surfers Paradise. Their new project is expected to be more ambitious.View original - 347 word(s), ~1 min(s)

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Games joy starts early03 Mar 2015Gold Coast Bulletin, Gold Coast QLD, General News

Page 27 • 607 words • ASR AUD 4,090Photo: Yes • Type: News Item • Size: 648.00 cm² • QLD • Australia • Issues Press • ID:378966663

Annual day in March recognises prime event WHILE the Gold Coast continues to prepare for the 2018 Commonwealth Games,many will take the opportunity to celebrate Commonwealth Day next week. The 21st running of the Commonwealth Games, inthree years, will throw a major spotlight on the city, with events broadcast across the globe.View original - 607 word(s), ~3 min(s)

Audience

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Made in shade03 Mar 2015Centralian Advocate, Alice Springs NT, General News

Page 23 • 129 words • ASR AUD 190Photo: Yes • Type: News Item • Size: 107.00 cm² • NT • Australia • Issues Press • ID:378760284

ALICE Springs Airport now has undercover car parking, making use of shade structures that double as solar panels. Throughthis project, the airport is producing enough energy to power 90 homes for a year and offsetting the equivalent of 420 tonnes ofcarbon dioxide emissions annually.View original - 129 word(s), ~0 min(s)

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Kia Ora, New Zealand

Section: General News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 45,000 • Page: 28Printed Size: 5029.00cm² • Market: NZ • Country: New Zealand • ASR: AUD 83,618Words: 1222 • Item ID: 378818330

Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any formwithout the prior consent of the copyright owner.

/hen most people think of the Gold Coast,

\ / \ / they think of a place where the heels

* j \J are high and the clothing diminutive,

~" where the locals are fit, the surf breaks

busy, the nightlife thumping, and where the high-rises

glitter for miles along an ozone-drenched coastline

of caramel sand. They're right. The Gold Coast is all

of these things, and all of these things are good. But

look beyond the shimmering towers of "The GC", and

its true treasures come into focus, those of a natural

playground extending the length of a 70km coastline

and into a hinterland with 100,000ha of World Heritage-

listed rainforest. It's a playground forged not by people,

but by the forces of land and sea: continental drift,

flowing lava and millennia of wave action that have

churned the quartz-rich beach sand into a soft beige

talc. No one needs to be told to go play outside on the

Gold Coast - its outdoors is irresistible.

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"It's not just a name. The

Gold Coast really is a

surfers paradiseThe coastline boasts *x

more than 35 patrolled

beaches and Australia's

most reliable waves" pL

lockwise from top left: A hunchback whale

• — i*>and; a lifeguard

Stretching from the tip of South Stradbroke Island to

Coolangatta on the New South Wales border, the Gold

Coast, with more than half a million inhabitants, is

actually Australia's largest non-capital city. Its most

famous suburb is Surfers Paradise, renamed in 1933

when a group of locals, in a flash of branding brilliance,

lobbied to have the original name of Elston changed to

that of the resident Surfers Paradise Hotel. The hotel

burned down, but the moniker stayed, and Surfers is

now world headquarters for the surf-all-day, club-all-

night lifestyle. But there's plenty for non-clubbers too.

For one, Surfers is a whale-watching mecca. It's the key

departure point for boat tours to the "Humpback

Highway", where, from June through October, more than

10,000 humpback whales swim by on their way to give

birth at Great Barrier Reef.

Neighbouring Broadbeach (catch the new G:link light

rail to get there) is a bit posher and has an up-and-

coming foodie feel. It's flush with modern gourmet dining

from around the globe - Italian, Lebanese, Japanese,

Thai, Cuban or vegan, it's all there and it's all delicious.

Further south, Burleigh Heads projects a charming

seventies vibe, with a bowling club right on the

waterfront, lots of boxy duplexes and endless perfect

surf. Don't miss the drum jam and fire circle every

Sunday night at Justins Park - all welcome to bongo.

Coolangatta oozes classic Aussie surf culture, one of

Kombies and longboards and shops that close when the

swell is on. Not a surfer? Head to the Point Danger

Lookout to spot dolphins and see the Captain Cook

memorial, partly made from iron ballast actually

jettisoned from Cook's ship the Endeavour.

What they all have in common is a laid-back lifestyle

lived mostly outside. Because, when it comes to the

outdoors, the choice of activities on the Gold Coast is

endless. Take your pick, it's all golden.

Ride a waveIt's not just a name. The Gold Coast really is a surfer's

paradise. The coastline boasts more than 35 patrolled

beaches and Australia's most reliable waves, from gentle

sand-bottom breaks ideal for learners to the legendary

Al RNEWZEALAN D.CO. NZ • KiaOra

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I • * +Gold Coast

£

Vh

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kill

tower overlooking another perfect dawn; bikes parked at Burleigh Heads, with Surfers Paradise in the distance.

surf at South Stradbroke Island (also called "TOS" for

"the other side" - you paddle across a sea channel to

get there), to the "Superbank", one of the longest surf

waves on earth. It is apparently possible, though rare, to

ride its two-kilometre length non-stop from end-to-end.

Get Wet Surf School (getwetsurf.com) runs lessons off

The Spit, a sandy isthmus north of Surfers. A seawall

protects the beach and the waves break in waist-deep

water, perfect for newcomers hoping to stand up for the

first time. Get Wet even has a stand-up guarantee - on

your feet in one lesson or the next one is free.

Engineering buffs will want to take a moment to peruse

the Sand Bypass Jetty at The Spit, where a permanent

sand pump was installed in the mid-1980s to stabilise the

entrance to the Nerang River. Due to sand drift, the river

mouth had been migrating northward by up to 60m per

year, a process that engulfed the coastal township of

Moondarewa. Today, the system shifts 500,000 cubic

metres of sand per year and deposits it at South

Stradbroke Island - perpetually topping up the sandbar

and creating a surf break of near-mythical consistency.

Climb a mountainThe best of the Gold Coast isn't all coastal. Less than an

hour inland is the "Green Cauldron", a lush, hilly

landscape created more than 20 million years ago when

the continent drifted over a hot spot. One resulting

eruption, that of the Tweed Volcano, created the largest

volcanic caldera in the Southern Hemisphere. Today, the

Gold Coast's fertile hinterland is dotted with national

parks and includes part of the Gondwana Rainforests of

Australia World Heritage Area, the world's most

extensive subtropical rainforest. Visitors come to see

rare phenomena like the Natural Bridge in Springbrook

National Park, where a waterfall tumbles through the

roof of a basalt cave, and wondrous wildlife, including

koalas, bandicoots, wallabies, the threatened Albert's

lyrebird and the giant Tamborine earthworm, detectable

by the gurgling sound it makes when moving through its

soggy underground burrow.

One way to sample it all is on a tour with Southern

Cross Day Tours (southerncrossdaytours.com.au). Their

all-day Tamborine/Lamington National Park trip covers

SURFERS PARADISEBEACHFRONT

• Wednesday,Friday and Sundaynight-time market on theEsplanade. Food, musicand every trinketimaginable, fromfur-trimmed sun visorsto 3D portraits of bodyparts made from mouldspoured on the spot.surfersparadise.com

QUICKSILVER PROGOLD COASTFebruary 27-March 11.Watch the world's bestsurfers compete atSnapper Rocks on thefirst stop of the WorldSurf LeagueChampionship Tour.quiksilverpro.com.au

AUSTRALIAN SURFLIFE SAVINGCHAMPIONSHIPSApril 11-19.Surf Life Saving's largestannual event. Seventhousand surf lifesaverstake part in more than380 events, includingsurf ski and boardpaddling, as well asrescue and resuscitationrelays, sls.com.au

GOLD COAST FILMTIVAL April 9-19.

A celebration of film andthe art of film-making,including world cinema,horror, Japanese animeand home-grownQueensland cinema.gcfilmfestival.com

BROADBEACH JAZZFESTIVALAugust 14-16.Free festival showcasingAustralia's best jazzmusicians.broadbeachgc.com

CASTROL EDGE GOLDCOAST 600October 23-25.Annual street-racecarnival featuring topinternational V8Supercar drivers on the2.96km Surfers ParadiseStreet Circuit.v8supercars.com.au

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200km, and includes boomerang throwing (the trick is to

flick, not hurl) as well as a stop at the charming

community of Gallery Walk on Tamborine Mountain, with

its shops selling fudge, gourmet spices, cheese, wine

and an exceptional chocolate-toned port. There's also a

rainforest walk to Curtis Falls, where cabbage-like

staghorn ferns sprout overhead and strange plants like

the "wait awhile", with its barbed leaves, lurk at ground

level (catch one on your trousers and you'll be waiting

awhile before you get free). The trip finishes with

O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk in Lamington National Park, a

180m wooden walkway consisting of nine linked

suspension bridges strung through a forest canopy of

more than 60 species of trees. The highest ladder-

accessed observation deck tops out at 30m - a real

bird's eye view.

Catch a crabAt the southern end of the Gold Coast, straddling the

Queensland/New South Wales border, sit the "Twin

Towns" of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta. Tweed Heads

is where the Tweed River, which has its watershed at the

Tweed Volcano, meets the Tasman Sea, and the river's

estuary is teeming with edible seafood species. The

locals eat well, harvesting fish like bream, tarwhine and

whiting, as well as Sydney rock oysters, prawns and

meaty mud crabs. The Tweed Estuary Nature Reserve

is a protected habitat for shorebirds like the sooty

oystercatcher and the endangered black-necked stork,

and shelters colonies of black fruit bats. Dozens can be

seen hanging languidly, inverted, in the mangroves.

The Catch a Crab cruise at Birds Bay Oyster Farm

(catchacrab.com.au) is a novel way to see, and get

among, this habitat. Passengers feed the headstrong

pelicans that shadow the open-sided boat and then

hop in the water to pump for yabbies, small shrimp

caught with a bike pump-like device that sucks them

out of their burrows underfoot. Then it's time to haul up

a trap and be photographed with a giant mud crab.

Careful, they pinch! The crabs are fascinating - the

females lay up to six million eggs at once, and will eat

males who refuse to mate with them. They also taste

good. Don't skip the fresh-from-the-ocean seafood

lunch after the boat trip.

A IRNEWZEALAND.CO.NZ • KiaOra

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"The crabs are

fascinating - the females

lay up to six million

eggs at once, and will

eat males who refuse

to mate with them. They

also taste good'.'

.wFr \ 1 • .*•.&- * * y

+Gold Coast

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ainforest covered too; basalt rock cliffs alonq the coast.

! Around thecorner from the lively SurfParade strip of restaurants,bars and cafes are theMediterranean-flavoured LaGrande Luxury Apartmentsat Broadbeach. Spacioustwo- and three-bedroomholiday apartments withmodern kitchens, an outdoorpool and stately balconiesoverlooking the near-perfectKurrawa Beach.lagrande.com.au

Check the swell withoutgetting out of bed from theGemini Court HolidayApartments at BurleighHeads. Classic beach towersfeaturing modern units withocean views north to SurfersParadise. It's a short downhillskip to the beach and to thegroovy eateries of JamesStreet, geminicourt.com.au

Cycle on the beachThere is no better way to see a place than by bike, and

with its flat topography, 300 annual days of sunshine and

800km of cycleways, the Gold Coast is made for cycling.

Fit and full of facts, Gold Coast Bike Tours

(goldcoastbiketours.com.au) guide Natasha Kersten leads

customers on a sedate, four-hour ride through Surfers

Paradise like a mum escorting her chicks, each one on a

yellow one-speed cruiser, complete with bell, kickstand

and wicker basket. The tour is a behind-the-scenes look

at Surfers, taking in the peaceful Federation Walk, an

off-road section through regenerating bush, the Gold

Coast Fisheries Co-Op (a local secret, they fish

overnight and sell their catch in the morning - get in

quick: it's all gone by 8am) and the Main Beach Pavilion.

Built in 1936, it was an early bid to attract tourists to the

beach, offering changing facilities for the still frowned-

upon activity of mixed public bathing. There's also a

pedal along Main Beach on sand hardened by the

receding tide. It's fantastic, an experience that is at once

Parisian and maritime, sea air and ocean views from the

seat of a classic bike that begs to be ridden in a frock.

JumponajetboatTucked behind The Spit and South Stradbroke Island,

the Gold Coast Broadwater is a sheltered waterway

popular with boaties, kite surfers, divers, kayakers

and snorkellers. It reaches north to the Moreton Bay

Marine Park, where dolphins, stingrays and dugongs,

an elephant-like manatee, can be seen at play, and

on its waterfront is some of Australia's most expensive

real estate.

Paradise Jet Boating's (paradisejetboating.com.au)

hour-long Broadwater Adventure trip takes it all in -

the wildlife, the scenery, and the real estate - getting

everyone as wet as possible in the process. The

35km journey is a combination of informative tour

detailing the history and marine life of the area, and

thrilling jet-boat ride including 360-degree spins,

beach-buzzes and a whole lot of water crashing up

over the bow. Which is almost as fun as ogling at the

mansions on the Broadwater's man-made Sovereign

Islands; look for luxuries like indoor waterfalls,

titanium roofs and play boats worth more than most

people's houses.

AIRNEWZEALAN D . CO . NZ « KiaOra

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+Gold Coast

• The Gold Coast is Australia's theme-park capital, asevidenced by the background thrum of screechingwheels, hissing air brakes and delighted screams.

saworld combines wildlife encounters withadrenaline. There are polar bears, seals, sharks anddolphins on site, while rides like the Storm Coaster andthe Viking Revenge Flume provide maritime-themed thrills.seaworld.com.au

ireamworld is Australia's biggest theme park, with arange of rides from the not-for-the-weak-of-stomachBuzzSaw and The Giant Drop, to the more kid-friendly BigRed Car Ride. Don't miss Tiger Island, a GC familyclassic, and the laser combat challenge at ZombieEvilution. dreamworld.com.au

Next door, Whitewater World (whitewaterworld.com.au) iswaterslide central, including the Super TubesHydrocoaster that shoots you uphill, and the evocativelynamed The Wedgie. Waterslide fans will also want to hit

s (wetnwild.com.au) for endlesspermutations on pools, slides and tubing.

Vorlci is a Hollywood-down-under experience. Watch the action at the HollywoodStunt Driver show and try rides based on DC Comicssuperheroes - the Batwing Spaceshot hits 4.5Gslaunching you up a very cool bat tower, movieworld.com.au

Aussie travel is better together - with the Air New Zealand and Virgin Australiaalliance, we offer more than 200 return flights a week between 22 cities in NewZealand to more than 45 cities in Australia.

ctvisitgoldcoast.com

Air New Zealandoffers non-stop

flights to theGold Coast from

Auckland andChristchurch,

with connectionsfrom across

the domesticnetwork.

airnewzealand.co.nz

0800 737 767

iland Holidays Store

AIR NEW ZEALAND \ 5~

Holidays

Left: Warner Bros. Movie World. Right: A cuddly koala.

Cuddle a koalaWith 27ha of eucalyptus and rainforest, the Currumbin

Wildlife Sanctuary (cws.org.au) is a Green Cauldron

in miniature. It has Australia's largest collection of native

animals and is one of the world's busiest wildlife

hospitals.

The sanctuary was established in 1947 by beekeeper

and flower-grower Alex Griffiths, who started feeding the

lorikeets so they would leave his flowers alone. The

feedings grew into a tourist attraction, and they still

happen daily, guests holding up plates to the rainbow-

plumed parrots, who reciprocate by landing on fingers,

shoulders and heads. There are also public feedings of

eels, crocodiles and Tasmanian devils, as well as a Free

Flight Bird Show. Clever birds fly on and off stage on

cue, including the barking owl (they terrified early settlers

by leaving behind the bodies of decapitated animals

after night feedings) and the gorgeous wedgetail eagle

with its two-metre wing span.

Currumbin's highlight, though, is the chance to hold

and pose with a koala, which will be the cutest thing that

has happened to you, ever. It's also not quite what you

expect. They're not fluffy, but more woolly, and slightly

oily - it's like cuddling a sheep, but one with little

two-thumbed paws that cuddle back. ^

STORY LAURA WILLIAMSON

Al RNEWZEALAN D . CO . NZ « KiaOra

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CHATROOMTEXT 0416 905 148TEXT: 0416 905 148AM I the only one who finds itdisappointing that the men’ssurfing comp winner get 100kand the women’s gets 60k?They are equally skilled surf-ing the same waves on thesame ocean. I thought we weretrying to close the gap, not justturn a blind eye to it.

So they found 21 shopping trol-lies among the mangroves?How many of those were fromAldi with a $2 deposit? None I’llbet. – John Mc

For about 2 years now thestreet lights on the southernside of the Sundale bridgegoing south have not been

working (7 poles in total). Nolocal authorities seem inter-ested in fixing them.

Well done GECKO and SOS(Bulletin p6 March 2). Perhapswe should feel sorry for ASFwasting money in pursuit of aCST when there is more thanenough proof that adequatedredging is not achievable andeven if it was it would create anecological disaster and devel-opment would cause trafficchaos in the mainland adjacentto Wavebreak Island. Laborshould act in good faith” andput ASF out of their misery bybanning the project now andforever.

Why were the latest detrimen-tal scientific findings of waterfluoridation shoved under thecarpet so quickly?

After calling the council aboutthe amount of porter boardsblocking the foot paths nothingis done. Can you give attentionto the shops and cafe in surfersmainly along the beach and thecafe with the blue chairs.

Re health funds. Totally agree

re couple with no kids payingthe same premium as familywith 3 kids. They would beclaiming heaps more, es-pecially for kids dental. Shouldhave to pay per person. –Marie

Was on the beach and saw 3dogs off leash running at peo-ple and rolling in people’s be-

longings. Just because they’reyours doesn’t mean we have toput up with it!!

28 million people around theglobe worrying about thecolor of dress. that’ll do me. –tweedie bob

Further to DJ Fraser’s com-ments, shouldn’t we also beconcerned that the Govt canfind money to spend on war inanother country (while) tellingAustralians that they have topull in their belts because wehave no money. – Waw

How can governments of aus-tralia allow people to buyhouses, apartments, land andfarms, in oz, when they arenot citizens or permanent res-idents. The real estate agentsmust love it! – Big ben

I surfed rainbow and green-mount sat for first time in yrsand thought there was nocrowd, only about 50 peopleout. –Rod

If ALP say no development onthe Broadwater the GoldCoast will be a tourist back-water with no employmentprospects for the young. –Redneck

The irony of the GCCC isamazing. They provide rulesand regulations on noise con-trol and policing of such, yet atexactly 6am, 7 days a weekwithout fail rubbish trucks plyour streets in Broadbeach, ap-

parently the GCCC is exemptfrom their own noise pollutionas I have recorded 93 decibelsfrom our balcony window.–Steven T

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03 Mar 2015Gold Coast Bulletin, Gold Coast QLD

Section: General News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 27,386 • Page: 15Printed Size: 190.00cm² • Market: QLD • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 1,199 • Words: 499Item ID: 378971328


Hoteliers dismiss report they failed to capitalise on G20NICK DALTON HOTELIERS in Cairns haverejected a report that they didnot financially take advantageof the G20 Finance Ministersmeeting in the city last year.

A Deloitte Access Econom-ics’ Tourism and Hotel MarketOutlook said Brisbane rateswent up by more than 40 percent during G20, yet did not

increase in Cairns. Hotels saytheir rates did go up but onlyfor a few hotels in the CBD.

Pullman Reef Hotel Casinoexecutive director Allan Tansaid their rates did rise.

“Our rates went up signifi-cantly, one and a half timeshigher, but just for that week,”he said.

Pacific Hotel Cairns execu-tive director Paul Kamsler said

G20 was good for just a hand-ful of hotels.

“We were bursting at theseams and recorded very highhistorical rates. The downsidewas that our restaurant suf-fered greatly as this precinctwent into lockdown and keptlocals away,” he said.

Mr Kamsler said G20“locked out all other business –corporate, domestic leisure

and inbound leisure. So, in anutshell the majority of Cairnsand region tourism businessesdid not benefit from G20.”

Mr Kamsler said Brisbanehad more demand for hotelrooms with most of its businessfrom the high-yielding corpor-ate sector, not the post-globalfinancial crisis, low-yieldingleisure business Cairns contin-ued to experience, with the

number of rooms still greatlyexceeding demand.

Mantra Group NorthQueensland general managerWinston Hall said G20 in

Cairns was a lot smaller thanBrisbane.

But he said it was an oppor-tunity for the region to “em-brace its diversity beyondbeing a leisure destination”.

“It has become a more

diverse location which has cre-ated stronger opportunitieswith corporate and conventionmarkets making it a yearround destination,” Mr Hallsaid.

“With more demand, opera-tors should have more confi-dence in their product and theexperiences in the regionwhich should be reflected inrates moving forward,” he said.

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03 Mar 2015Cairns Post, Cairns QLD

Author: Nick Dalton • Section: General News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 16,833Page: 6 • Printed Size: 151.00cm² • Market: QLD • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 671Words: 303 • Item ID: 378968567


Wanda pairs up for mega-project

CHINESE property giant DalianWanda Group is set to dramati-cally increase its local footprint,with the group striking a jointventure agreement with RidongGroup to develop a multi-billion-dollar project on a site near theCommonwealth Games villageon the Gold Coast.

EXCLUSIVE

GREG BROWNDEVELOPMENT

The agreement, foreshadowedin The Australian last year, will bethe second Gold Coast project thetwo groups will jointly develop,with the pair also building the$970 million Jewel hotel andapartment complex in SurfersParadise. Their new project is ex-pected to be more ambitious.

The Shanghai-headquarteredWanda and Guangdong-basedRidong will develop a 45ha sitenear the railway station at Nerangthat Ridong bought in 2013 forabout $23m.

Ridong last year bid for the siteto house the Gold Coast casinowhen the licence was tendered bythe Queensland government, butmissed out. The group was aimingto build a $3 billion mega resort.

It is thought that Ridong andWanda aim to build a hotel, apart-ment and commercial precinct onthe Nerang site with a projectvalue more than $2bn, althoughthis may change depending oncouncil approval. The companiescould not be contacted last night.

The site is close to the planned

2018 Commonwealth Games ath-letes village, where Grocon willbuild accommodation for 6500Games athletes and officials.

Wanda, controlled by billion-aire Wang Jianlin, last year estab-lished an Australian subsidiarythat is jointly owned by the un-listed Wanda HK and the HongKong-listed Wanda Hotel Devel-opment Company.

Federal Trade and InvestmentMinister Andrew Robb recentlytold tourism officials that thecompany aimed to spend an extra

$3bn on Australian projects —well up from its initial commit-ment last year of $1.7bn.

To kick off 2015, Wandabought one of Australia’s mostsought-after development sites,paying $425m for the Gold FieldsHouse office building at Sydney’sCircular Quay.

The office tower has the poten-tial for a $1bn-plus hotel and lux-ury apartment development withSydney Harbour views, with thecompany in talks with the councilon its plans.

AUSE01Z01MA - V1

The Shanghai-headquartered Wanda and Guangdong-based Ridong will develop a 45ha site near the railway station at Nerang.

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03 Mar 2015The Australian, Australia

Author: Greg Brown • Section: Property • Article type : News Item • Audience : 104,774Page: 30 • Printed Size: 196.00cm² • Market: National • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 3,961Words: 347 • Item ID: 378857406


Games joy starts earlyAnnual day in Marchrecognises prime eventWHILE the Gold Coast con-tinues to prepare for the 2018Commonwealth Games, manywill take the opportunity tocelebrate Commonwealth Daynext week.

The 21st running of theCommonwealth Games, inthree years, will throw a majorspotlight on the city, withevents broadcast across theglobe.

Commonwealth Day takesplace annually on the secondMonday in March.

This year’s theme, A YoungCommonwealth, seeks to rec-ognise the capacity, contri-bution and potential of youngpeople around the world in theawareness of global issues andthe importance of internation-al co-operation.

Since 1977, CommonwealthDay has been celebratedthroughout the Common-wealth, a voluntary associationof more than 50 independentsovereign states that providesupport to each other andwork together toward interna-tional goals.

The Commonwealth is de-scribed as a “family” of nations,originally linked together inthe British Empire and nowbuilding on their commonheritage in language, cultureand education. This enablesthem to work together in an at-mosphere of greater trust andunderstanding than generallyprevails among nations.

Bringing together some twobillion people of many faiths,races, languages, traditionsand levels of economic devel-opment, the Commonwealthrepresents almost a third of theworld’s population.

Half are aged 25 or youngerand a quarter of those are

under five years of age.Each year on Common-

wealth Day, the Queen attendsan interdenominationalchurch service held in West-minster Abbey, followed by areception hosted by the Com-monwealth Secretary-General.

The second Monday inMarch was picked as Com-monwealth Day because it is aday when all schools through-out the Commonwealth are insession and does not coincidewith a major holiday or festi-val. The idea came from Can-adian Prime Minister PierreElliott Trudeau.

He wanted one day eachyear on which all Common-

wealth countries could marktheir membership and pro-mote knowledge of the Com-monwealth, particularlyamong the young people oftheir countries.

This year, CommonwealthDay falls on Monday, March 9.

COMMONWEALTH DAY 2015 IN QUEENSLAND

This year’s theme, A YoungCommonwealth, recognisesthe global potential, capacityand contribution of youngpeople in issues awareness andinternational co-operation.

To mark the occasion, justover three years from the

opening ceremony of the GoldCoast 2018 CommonwealthGames, the Governor of

Queensland, Paul de JerseyAC, will host a reception atGovernment House in Bris-bane for 18 young Queenslandsporting representatives.

FUN FACTS

• The Commonwealthspans six continents.

• Mozambique is the high-est one-name Scrabble score ofany Commonwealth nation,with 34 points.

• A total of 71 nationalteams are expected to partici-pate in the Gold Coast 2018

Excited Gold Coastschoolchildren get into the spirit of the “Four Years To Go” celebrations for the Commonwealth Games at Surfers Paradise last year.

Commonwealth Games.• The smallest Common-

wealth Games participant,Niue, a dependency of NewZealand, has a population of1400.

• The first British EmpireGames in Hamilton, Ontario,were held in 1930.

• Canada is the largestCommonwealth nation byarea, at 9,984,670 sq km.

• The total land area of theCommonwealth is about31,500,000 sq km.

• India is the most popu-lated, with more than 1.2 billionpeople. The combined popu-lation of the Commonwealth isabout 2.3 billion.

WHO IS IN THECOMMONWEALTH?

There are 53 members including: Antigua andBarbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus,Dominica, Fiji Islands, Ghana,

Grenada, Guyana, India,Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius,Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria,Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, UnitedRepublic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Zambia.

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Made in shadeALICE Springs Airport nowhas undercover car parking,making use of shade structuresthat double as solar panels.

Through this project, theairport is producing enoughenergy to power 90 homes fora year and offsetting the equiv-alent of 420 tonnes of carbondioxide emissions annually.

The carpark was designedfor most vehicles used in Cen-tral Australia – four-wheel

drives with roof racks will haveno problems fitting under-neath.

The airport has a range oflong-term parking optionsPremium undercover spacesstart at $19 per day. Generalparking starts at $16 per day.

For hassle free, in and outaccess, you are looking for ayearly permit. Contact theManagement Centre at 088951 1211.

Sheltered corporate and long-term carparking at Alice Springs Airport maximises space by being under the solar panels.

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03 Mar 2015Centralian Advocate, Alice Springs NT

Section: General News • Article type : News Item • Audience : 4,401 • Page: 23Printed Size: 107.00cm² • Market: NT • Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 190 • Words: 129Item ID: 378760284

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