🏘️ Gold Coast Rentals Soar | Spruces Ups Its AI Game | Bonza's Inaugural GC Flight Takes Off | The Word Of The Year Announced and more!

Today’s newsletter is 1037 words: 4 minute read.

Thursday is here again, and it’s November 16!

---

In today’s email

• SEQ Rentals Soar: And some affordability numbers behind them

• Local GC’s Spruces: Gets millions in funding for growing its AI innovations

• Bonza's Inaugural GC Flight Took Off: Yesterday to Townsville

• Trending: The official word of the year announced

• Around The Web (Snippets): Robots that regrow coral, Australia Post to deliver on weekends, the most significant wage growth on record and more!

• Councillor’s Corner

• Upcoming Events

---

GC Weekend Weather and Surf

Live Gold Coast Housing Price Index

---

1. One Big Thing: QLD Rental Prices Peak, Affordability Plummets

Housing Headache Hits Hard in Queensland

Queensland's rental market crisis deepens, with the Gold Coast bearing the brunt of soaring costs.

Seven out of ten of the most unaffordable suburbs in the southeast are on the Gold Coast, with Helensvale leading the pack.

What’s Happening?

• Regional Queensland, including key areas like Helensvale, now tops Australia's unaffordable rental market list.

• Median weekly rents in Helensvale hit a staggering $840.

• Gold Coast households spend an alarming 40-46% of their income on rent.

Why It Matters

This trend underscores a widening gap between rising living costs and stagnant incomes, hitting locals hard.

Zoom In

• A 7% affordability drop across Queensland, as per the National Shelter-SGS Rental Affordability Index.

• Jobseekers are now allocating 98% of their income to rent a median one-bedroom home.

• "We don’t have a supply issue. We have an affordable supply issue – people can no longer afford to live here," says Maria Leebeek, CEO of the Gold Coast Homelessness Network, noting a 30% rise in emergency housing demand.

The Big Picture

Luxury housing booms, but affordable options dry up, pushing out long-term residents and escalating homelessness.

Something we really need to fix.

What the People Say

• Community voices echo concerns about unmanageable rental prices.

• Experts call for urgent shifts in housing policies and construction focuses.

What To Look For Next

Hopefully, there will be a lot faster action from the local and State governments to get some serious fixes in place quickly.

---

2. One Big Thing: Gold Coast's Spruces Sweeps Up with AI Innovation

Revolutionising Cleaning: A Local Triumph

Spruces, a new Gold Coast venture, transforms cleaning with a $2 million AI investment.

What’s Happening?

• Gold Coast's Spruces, established in December 2022, secures $2 million for worker monitoring AI.

• The technology is designed to enhance productivity and support in the cleaning sector.

• Founders Plaza and Johnson innovate with AI, similar to Tesla's vision system, to monitor work quality.

Why It Matters

This funding symbolises a major shift in setting new standards for the commercial cleaning industry.

Zoom In

• Spruces' AI measures productivity, focusing on quality, not just speed.

• Their technology performs comprehensive checks, ensuring detailed cleaning in settings like hotels.

• The initial funding target was exceeded by $1.5 million, demonstrating strong investor confidence.

The Big Picture

Spruces' advancement positions it as a leader in tech innovation within the local commercial cleaning sector.

What to Look for Next

Anticipate Spruces expanding its reach beyond Queensland, leveraging this technology to redefine industry norms.

The potential increase in productivity could significantly impact employment in low-skill jobs.

---

3. Bonza's Bold Leap from the Gold Coast

What’s Happening?

Bonza's new base at Gold Coast Airport marks a significant step in Queensland's aviation landscape with its first flight from Gold Coast to Townsville that took off yesterday.

Why It Matters

Bonza's expansion from the Gold Coast signifies a major boost for local tourism and connectivity.

Zoom In

• The airline introduced 14 new routes, with 11 exclusive to Gold Coast.

• This venture is estimated to inject over $300 million into Queensland's economy.

• Bonza CEO Tim Jordan highlights the airline's aim to connect communities affordably.

• Queensland Airports Limited CEO Amelia Evans emphasises the importance of new direct routes for community connection.

• Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Patricia O’Callaghan notes the potential tourism boost with greater Queensland connectivity.

The Big Picture

This development positions the Gold Coast as a pivotal hub in Queensland's aviation and tourism sectors.

What the People Say

• Locals and tourists express excitement over new travel opportunities.

• Industry experts laud the positive economic and connectivity impacts.

What To Look For Next

Expect a rise in domestic tourism and further expansion of Bonza's network, potentially transforming Queensland's travel and tourism dynamics.

Keep an eye on the ongoing recruitment of Gold Coast-based crew, fostering local employment opportunities.

---

4. Trending

---

5. Around Web (Snippets)

• Australia Post to deliver on weekends: To handle Christmas shopping surges

• Wage growth the biggest in 26 years: Growing 1.3% over the September quarter, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics

• 2023 Gold Coast Woman in Business of the Year: Announced this week as Dr Laetitia de Villiers at an epic event to celebrate the best of local legendary women in business

• Australian scientist is harnessing the power: Of robots to regrow our threatened reefs

• QLD Councils: Just discovered $1.3 billion worth of "found assets" that they did not realise they owned...

• The Dark Side of the Moon: Is where this Adelaide-based space company is headed

---

Councillors’ Corner

Div 1 | Ormeau, Pimpama, Yatala + | Cr Mark Hammel

Div 9 | Mudgeeraba | Springbrook | Reedy Creek | Worongary +9 | Cr Glenn Tozer

---

Upcoming Events

• Festival of Fun: November 18, a multi-faceted, family-friendly event, the festival brings people of all abilities together at the Gold Coast Leisure Centre

• The Red Ball for the Daniel Morcombe Foundation: November 18, get red-y to dance the night away in your best red attire while helping to raise funds to continue their amazing mission of keeping kids safe.

• Movies Under The Stars: November 18, will be showing Turbo for a free, family-friendly fun event at the Broadwater Parklands

• Pho3nix Queensland Triathlon Series: November 18, welcoming athletes of all ages and abilities at the Robina Parkway

• South East Queensland Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Circuit: November 19, Queensland's premier Jiu-Jitsu tournament at Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium for the GC Championship

• High Tea with Bestselling Children's Author Jacqueline Harvey: November 19, to celebrate all things Christmas, including the release of Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery 

• Free Ride Tour hosted by Tracks Mag: November 23 at HOTA, the 70s classic surf movie starring Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew, Shaun Tomson and Mark Richards, with a Q&A after the screening with Rabbit and Shaun

---