Tony Tippett has been part of a team, led by Robina founder Robin Loh’s representatives Richard Wyatt and Louise Loh, that has steered the development of the Robina masterplanned community for more than 32 years.
A Director of Robina Group since 2002, Mr Tippett has worked along side Richard and Louise and been heavily involved in the company’s development of literally hundreds of residential homes and apartments, hectares of parkland, lakes and public open space, thousands of square metres of commercial space and significant retail infrastructure surrounding the Robina Town Centre.
He has been part of the Robina Group team which has been responsible for attracting significant new business to the Robina area resulting in the creation of thousands of jobs. Tony has also been an active participant in a number of property and development industry groups, associations and ‘not for profit’ organisations.
What do you love about the Gold Coast?
Gold Coast City is a vibrant and dynamic place where people are prepared to have a go and there are abundant opportunities for those who do. We all enjoy the superb natural beauty of the area from the beaches to the hinterland and the overall standard of living for Gold Coasters is amongst one of the best in the world I think. We have the best that is on offer in the capital cities without the frustrations and environmental issues which come from living in a large city environment).
What do you think could be done better on the Gold Coast?
As the city continues to grow, I think that we have got to take more of a whole of city approach to planning, the provision of infrastructure and the marketing of the city to businesses that could potentially relocate to the Gold Coast. We cannot just look at individual areas in isolation. A perfect case in point is the city’s public transport system. We have taken steps in the right direction, but I would like to see the light rail extended and connected to the heavy rail at Robina and the rail then extended to the Gold Coast Airport.
We also have to look at broadening our economic base and creating sustainable job growth throughout the City in a coordinated manner for the future. There needs to be some clear key targets formulated and incentives provided to bring the high tech, clean industries to the Gold Coast. Our message about what the Gold Coast is and what it offers then needs to be actively communicated to these types of businesses.
Robina Group has been marketing the city nationally and internationally for several decades and we will continue to do so, but there needs to be a broader support for this type of approach. I think private interests and our elected representatives need to work collaboratively across the whole City to achieve this outcome.
In your travels what have you seen being done elsewhere that you think would work here?
I have seen instances in Asia, Europe and the USA where the integration of residential, retail, commercial, sporting, cultural and educational elements of a city combine in a way that works really well. Again it is that big picture planning and ‘whole of city’ approach that sees these individual elements fit together in a highly functional manner. We are a linear city and therefore we need to have these items spread through the City in a planned meaningful way, that are fully connected, rather than trying to concentrate activity in one area.
People should be able to access all the services and amenities they need for a fulfilling, modern lifestyle in a relatively simple way. I think we have taken some positive steps down this path on the Gold Coast, but there is more to do.
If money, time, laws and approvals were no issue what is one big idea you’d undertake today?
Imagine if we were able to launch a high tech / clean industry styled business hub where we offer significant incentives to some of the biggest and most successful companies nationally and internationally to establish bases on the Gold Coast. If we were able to combine that with the expansion of education facilities, universities and service industries as well as build the Gold Coast’s central park on the Greenheart land owned by Gold Coast City Council then we may have created a sustainable economy as well as enhancing the natural beauty of this wonderful City. The Robina area has approximately 50 hectares of land ready to be developed right in the heart of the city and that is something that would be unheard of anywhere else. To have such potential right in the middle of a city with half a million people; the possibilities are is enormous. To achieve that potential we all must work together in a fully coordinated manner.
What are the conversations Gold Coast movers and shakers should be having?
The discussion should be about how we can connect and promote the whole city, not just part of it, on a national and international level to broaden our economic base and by so doing, create sustainable jobs for the future. We should be concentrating on how all the city’s major centres can reach their full potential so that the sum result is continued growth in a sustainable manner whilst the lifestyle benefits and natural beauty of the City are preserved.
