Strike up a conversation with a voter in the southern Gold Coast and bitterness about the area’s rapid growth will likely crop up.

Congested roads, skyrocketing housing costs, overdevelopment and the divisive extension of the city’s light rail are common complaints.

But in the marginal seat of Currumbin, growing pains and a lack of trust in the two major parties have been tipped by constituents as issues that might sway their vote in this month’s state election.

Political experts say the disquiet about rapid growth might be enough for the LNP to lose control of the party’s most marginal electorate for the first time in two decades.

The seat of Currumbin, which hugs the southern Gold Coast and New South Wales border, has been held by the LNP for 20 years.

Former federal prosecutor and shadow minister for youth justice Laura Gerber scraped through to win the 2020 Currumbin by-election by a margin of 0.5 per cent.

The ALP recorded a swing of 2.8 per cent.

Political analyst Paul Williams said there would be a swing against Labor across Queensland in this month’s election, and this would be reflected in Currumbin.

He believes prominent independent candidate Kath Down could throw a spanner in the works.

“Certainly, an anti-light rail candidate might prove to be a thorn in the LNP’s side,” he said.

Policies and promises

If her party is successful, Ms Gerber will lead the LNP’s “adult crime, adult time” policy, which she hopes would make a difference in her own electorate.

“When I’m talking to locals, I’ve never met so many people that have been impacted by crime,” she said.

“We never had to live like this.”

Queensland Police data indicated that the number of reported offences of unlawful entry across the Gold Coast district fell from 7,352 in 2003 to 4,607 in 2023.

In 2003, there were 2,768 reported offences of unlawful use of a motor vehicle offence across the city’s police district. Last year, there were 2,775.

Nathan Fleury, a former soldier and staffer for Senator Murray Watt, is on the ticket for the ALP.

If elected, he said he would put pressure on the Gold Coast City Council to approve more medium-density housing in Currumbin.

“So we can get more of a balance when it comes to housing, not just these super expensive beachside developments,” he said.

The changing face of the coast

To paint a picture of how rapidly property prices in Currumbin have surged, in the beachside suburb of Tugun the median price for a property was $698,000 in 2019.

In September 2024, that number had grown to $1,317,500, according to realestate.com.

“Everyone loves this place, that’s the problem,” Tallebudgera Valley resident Frank Gatto said.

Frank and Cecilia Gatto moved to the southern Gold Coast from country NSW in 1989 for the region’s laid-back lifestyle and opportunities.

Now retired, they thought they would spend their sundown years surrounded by their children and grandchildren.

But the cost of living on the southern Gold Coast proved too heavy a burden for their children’s young families, who packed up and moved to north Queensland.

“Over the years, things have changed dramatically,” Ms Gatto said.

Mr Gatto reminisced about the beach shacks that once dotted suburbs such as Coolangatta and Kirra.

“We’ve just got to the stage where you just can’t find those places no more,” he said.

Ripe for an independent

Independent Kath Down is running in the seat of Currumbin under an anti-development and anti-light rail platform.

She leads the Save Our Southern Gold Coast group.

Ms Down said she did not have ties to any political party.

In the March local government election, Ms Down came just 393 votes away from unseating veteran Gold Coast City councillor Gail O’Neill.

“Neither of the major parties are really delivering what’s suitable for Currumbin and we’re suffering severely,” Ms Down said.

“The housing that we’re getting with multimillion-dollar apartments on the beachfront do nothing to suit affordable housing.”

On the streets of Kirra, a distrust of traditional parties was a commonality between local voters.

“I’m disappointed with both major parties, so I’m probably looking at an independent this time around or the Greens,” Kirra resident Colin Griffin said.

“I’ll just probably decide on the day … I don’t think any of them are going to fix the problem really,” Kirra resident Lizzie Hammond said.

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