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BRISBANE - A Sunshine Coast businessman has taken out newspaper advertisements warning the Queensland government to "kiss UK tourists goodbye" as a result of its controversial council mergers.
Tourism businessman Peter Wade has sponsored a two-page ad in Queensland newspapers today asking Premier Peter Beattie to reconsider his plan to merge Noosa and Port Douglas into other councils.
Under the Beattie Labour government's council reforms announced last Friday, Caloundra, Maroochy and Noosa shires will merge to form a super council on the Sunshine Coast.
Port Douglas, in far north Queensland, will also merge with Cairns.
However, the ad warns: "Blow away Noosa and Port Douglas and kiss our UK tourists goodbye, Mr Premier!"
The ad, supported by key UK tourism companies, including Trailfinders and Bridge and Wickers, says tourists choose to go to Noosa and Port Douglas because both have a good environmental track record.
It also says amalgamations have not worked in other parts of the world, and Noosa and Port Douglas would become "just like hundreds of other resorts around the world".
"UK tourists will see no reason to travel half way around the world to see something they can see a lot closer to home," it says.
Mr Wade, the former chairman of Tourism Queensland, said Noosa and Port Douglas would end up like the overdeveloped Gold Coast, costing millions of dollars in tourism revenue.
"Everybody will have the will to make amalgamation work," Mr Wade told ABC radio today.
"But when you look at these things, it'll just gradually slip year after year after year.
"First there'll be a little bit of slippage, then the population cap will slowly be increased and then some planning changes will happen."
The ad also takes a swipe at other Beattie government ministers, including premier-in-waiting, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh.
"Do you want to be the premier who has to pick up the pieces and live through the recriminations?"
It also delivers a blunt message to Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser: "You should be ashamed!"
Mr Beattie and Mr Fraser yesterday toured the Sunshine Coast to sell their reforms.
Mr Fraser is meeting concerned mayors in the Torres Strait today.
- AAP
