Gold Coast City Council should remove glyphosate from public areas and replace it with safer methods already used by other councils, including hot-water treatment, manual mowing and hand weeding.
People use these spaces every day, and right now we are being exposed to wet applications in places where council guidelines say spraying should not happen. That includes windy conditions, areas near people, and spaces not designed for herbicide use, such as concrete and sitting or eating areas.
The problem is not only the product itself, but how it is being used. When staff or contractors spray in the wrong conditions, without signage, and in places where the public can come into direct contact with the application, the risk to public health and safety increases. Families, workers, children and older residents all use these areas, often without any warning that spraying has taken place.
There is also a practical solution. Other councils already manage weeds with methods that avoid glyphosate and can be cheaper and healthier over time. Heat-based treatments, mowing, and manual weeding can keep public land maintained without exposing residents, staff and contractors to the same level of risk.
We are asking Gold Coast City Council to adopt a clear policy ending glyphosate use in public areas and to replace it with safer alternatives, with immediate effect. The council should also ensure that any future weed-control work is carried out in line with safety guidance, with proper signage and without spraying where people are likely to be present.
This is a straightforward public health issue. If the council chooses safer maintenance methods now, it can protect the people who live, work and spend time in these shared spaces while still keeping the city maintained responsibly.