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Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate has declared the Trump Organisation paid for his accommodation at Mar-a-Lago where he met with the US president in February – but ratepayers footed the bill for flights.
In an updated version of his register of interests, available on the council website, Tate said the business paid for his accommodation, meals and transport to and from Miami airport on his trip to the resort, which is also the president’s home.
However, a spokesperson for the council said the city paid for all flights related to the Mayoral Mission.
The meeting with the president and his son Eric Trump was part of a two-night stay at the resort, during a month-long overseas trip at the start of the year.
Less than two weeks later, Eric Trump took to X to announce the organisation planned to build a 91-storey skyscraper in Surfers Paradise, which would be the tallest building on the Gold Coast and the first Trump Tower in Australia.
Australian developer Altus’ director David Young had signed an agreement with the organisation while on a trip Mar-a-Lago himself in February.
“I am so proud to announce what will soon be the tallest building in Australia,” the US president’s son posted to X less than two weeks after Tate’s visit.
Earlier this month Tate said ratepayers had not footed the bill for the trip, but declined to elaborate on how the trip was paid for.
“Some part of the trip I pay and some other parts was an invitation as mayor of the city to be there, by the Trump Organisation,” he said in an interview with the ABC in early March.
“I was there as mayor of the city; that’s a gift to the city, not to me.
“I’m pretty sure Tom Tate wouldn’t have gotten an invite, mayor of the Gold Coast got an invite.”
While no development application has been made for the beachfront tower, there has been heated discussion about whether it should be built.
An online petition calling for the development to be stopped had garnered more than 138,000 signatures by Tuesday afternoon.
“Beyond issues of overdevelopment, environmental impact, and pressure on local infrastructure, many residents are deeply uncomfortable with the Trump brand and what it represents,” it said.
Tate has been approached for comment.
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