ANZAC Day has come to pass us by in what is now 108 years since Gallipoli.
Here’s to forever honouring and remembering the men and women that served and continue to serve and do us so proud.
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.
In today’s email:
Population boom: GC and Brisbane population to expand by 1 million, soon
Defence: On the offence
Trending: A new stadium in another city (in a great spot the GC should copy)
Around the Web (Snippets): A major Griffith Uni event that has gone global and the first AI war, and more shark encounters
📚 Need a read - Here’s one about a political genius and outstanding leader
1. One Big Thing: Population Booming
What’s Happening?
The recent 2022 Revision of World Population Prospects by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division puts the current Gold Coast-Tweed Head population projection at 732,000.
Why it matters
Just last week, we looked at the disastrous rental and housing vacancy crisis evolving in the City.
And there’s more.
The Gold Coast and its surrounding suburbs are continuing to grow steadily, and head counters put the increase of the Gold Coast Metro Area at a 1.39% increase over 2022 alone.
With no end in sight, the housing crisis we looked at last week will get way worse.
The details
In 1993, the Gold Coast and its surrounding suburbs had just 286k, less than half of the 2023 population.
In 2021-22, Australian capital cities' populations increased on average by 1.2% due to a strong recovery in net overseas migration, with 151,000 migrants arriving.
The natural increase actually declined due to COVID-19 deaths.
Despite the natural decline of all cities, Brisbane and the Gold Coast areas saw the most significant population increase (2.3%), driven by internal migration.
Over the same 2021-22 years, Australia's national population centre point shifted 1.4 kilometres north, reflecting Queensland's significant growing popularity since the Covid pandemic.
With an estimated 1 million residents moving to South East Queensland over the next 8-9 years, there’s much more trouble ahead on the housing front.
What people are saying
Chief Economist Ray White and Nerida Conisbee addressed an exclusive annual real estate market report event a few weeks ago.
Speaking to members, “I think one of the things that are standing out about Queensland at the moment is just the level of population growth that is occurring,” Ms Conisbee continued, “We are getting a high proportion of overseas migrants coming to Queensland compared to what happened pre-pandemic,”
What to look for next
With the continued migration from inside Australia at 1.50% annually to the southeast means an additional 10K plus searching for a pad to call home.
On top of the international migration, look out for a way quicker pace of population growth, which will expedite a boom of investments in infrastructure and, more hopefully, places to live.
2. Defence On The Move
Happening Now
The Defence Strategic Review 2023, released on 23 April, charts a new course for a new mobile military force to safeguard Australia and its global interests.
What It Means
Australia is set to consistently invest in private industry partnerships, seeking innovative technology for its defence sector.
Gold Coast, home to Mexx Engineering®, Aero Defence, and Gilmour Space, stands to benefit.
The Details
The Albanese government aims to modernise defence forces in the most significant overhaul since World War II.
The Defence Strategic Review 2023 reveals plans to make technology the core of defence, incorporating agile, rapid deployment forces, VR, AI, and unmanned aerospace capabilities.
A $4b investment in missiles over four years and commitments to international defence conglomerates for immediate purchases are included in the plan as Australian production facilities ramp up.
Current bases like Kokoda Barracks and the Land Warfare Centre (LWC) will likely receive additional funding for personnel upskilling.
What People Are Saying
On 23 April 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese endorsed the Review's strategic direction, emphasising its role in bolstering national security and readiness.
Defence Minister Richard Marles highlighted the need for increased national security-focused education to complement the Review.
The Gold Coast Effect
As a growing hub increasingly becoming a magnet for tech startups and innovation, the Gold Coast is poised to benefit from new defence initiatives.
Talk is cheap, so we’ll see what gets spent.
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3. Trending
Opinion
While great for Tassie, could you imagine the economic and cultural benefits where the Gold Coast had a stadium shouldering the picturesque waterline, which we have?
Miami High doesn’t really need that oval, do they..?
4. Around The Web (Snippets)
A Gold Coast Griffith Uni event goes global: The Australian Institute of Intergenerational Practice was started here at Griffith University on the Gold Coast after researchers began exploring the benefits of Old and Young interacting
The First AI War: Google and Microsoft fight over the future of AI
Something In The Water: Another shark encounter at Burleigh Heads
We've been here a few years but we're some of the migrators from Sydney. Feels like GC could really take advantage of the shift in demographics (i.e all the young people squeezed out of Syd) but the housing situation is pretty dire.