Committee Rejects Proposal to privatise the Aquatic Centres

The push to privatise the management of four Gold Coast City Council aquatic centres has been stalled — but the fight isn’t over.

We know that the Council pools are making a profit - regardless what some in Council are saying.
There are serious questions about workers’ wages and conditions, affordable access for families, and whether essential community facilities should be run for commercial interests rather than the community.
Councillors spent more than three hours this week questioning Council officers before the proposal was rejected at the committee stage.

LIfestyle Committee Chair Cr Glenn Tozer was the only one of the Committee to vote in favour. Send him an email!

The vote was lost 5-1 with Crs' Dan Doran, Naomi Fowler, Joe Wilkinson, Gail O’Neill and Nick Marshall voicing concerns about staffing, safety and fees.

But Donna Gates and Peter Young, who are not on the committee and cannot vote, were supportive, while Brooke Patterson was undecided on her future vote.Our aquatic centre workers deliver safe, accessible and high-quality services to Gold Coast families every day. They deserve secure jobs and fair wages — and our community deserves affordable access to its public facilities.This fight is not over.

Council sits next week!