RUSSELL Island residents want to break away from Redland City Council to become part of the Gold Coast local government area.
They hope the much larger Gold Coast City Council would give Russell an economic boost in part by building better infrastructure.
Resident Alistair Taylor said the island was under great pressure from population growth.
“It is beginning to see a population growth that it has never seen before, yet roads, sewerage and vital infrastructure are not meeting the current and future needs of the property owners,” Mr Taylor said.
“This is my home and I love it but it gets a bad rap because it is neglected.”
Former Moreton Bay Combined Islands Association chairman Greg Hartay-Szabo said if Russell fell within the Gold Coast, Redland council could focus on Macleay, Karragarra and Lamb islands, and North Stradbroke Island’s economic transition.
“Russell Island is a challenge for the council,” Mr Hartay-Szabo said.
Mr Taylor said the island had potential that was being wasted.
“Constant neglect and no long-term plan or solutions have seen the island fall into a depressed property market,” he said.
“The irony is that it has the potential to be one of the nation’s most prestigious postcodes with gorgeous views to Stradbroke Island and some of the best boating and fishing in Australia.”
Mr Taylor said a ferry from the south of Russell Island to Cabbage Tree Point at Steiglitz would provide easy access for islanders and visitors and alleviate congestion at Weinam Creek and on Redland roads.
Aside from mainland parking complaints, issues regularly raised concern neglected island roads and footpaths, transport problems such as the grounding of the car barge, inadequate measures to deal with bushfire risk and security concerns at car parks.
The move to secede comes as the state government announces it will work with the Gold Coast council to investigate a 12-stop ferry service on the Broadwater and Nerang River using solar-powered catamarans.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said that with the coast’s population booming, it was important to consider public transport options.
Cr Tate said the decision on governance over Russell Island ultimately rested with the state government.
“Merging with the Gold Coast is a matter for the residents of Russell Island, Redland City Council and the state government,” Cr Tate said.
Redland City Cr Mark Edwards said Redland council had inherited the Southern Moreton Bay Islands from the state government in the 1970 and had spent years trying to make up for the deficit in infrastructure.
“Despite previously coming under state government jurisdiction, it has been council that has provided the basic infrastructure that the state failed to provide,” Cr Edwards said.
“The state government is much larger than any council so that does not mean being aligned to a larger body guarantees increased funding.
“If you are a smaller population in a bigger council it could well mean your voice is lost.
“On the other hand Redlands embraces the islands voices.”
Cr Edwards said Redland council’s advocacy to state and federal governments on behalf of the islands was starting to deliver results.
He said Translink had provided services to SMBI after ratepayers contributed to the cost of starting the service and the federal government had committed new mobile phone towers for Russell Island after council argued for the SMBI to be treated like a remote regional community to receive black sport support for the telecommunications service.
Redlands MP Kim Richards said Redland City Council and Cr Mark Edwards were best to comment on the suggestion.