The city known for surf, sun, sand – and maybe a little sin — has now put a dollar figure on spirituality and the contribution groups of faith make to the community.

Mayor Tom Tate said the report from the NAYBA group, which describes itself as ‘a network of Christians from across the breadth of the Australian Church’, investigated the value of the contribution of faith groups.

“NAYBA advises this is the largest report ever compiled for a community in Australia, so we are lucky to have this data at our fingertips,’’ Tate said.

“This investment of time, compassion and resources by thousands of people is incredible. It saves all tiers of government from having to further invest in this space and underscores the amazing network we have through our pastors and church leaders, right across the Coast,’’ he said.

The report comes about six months after a furore over Tate’s appointment of a controversial ratepayer-funded evangelical spiritual adviser.

Tate, at the time, said one of the reasons he had appointed spiritual adviser Sue Baynes was to better unite all faiths and community groups working in areas such as homelessness and addiction on the Gold Coast.

To the surprise of city councillors at the time, he even opened a prayer room in council chambers for faith-based community groups – before the whole idea collapsed in a fiery heap when the Noosa Temple of Satan applied to use the space.

The application doomed the prayer room and all community groups were banished from using the facility.

The prayer room tumult came as Bayne’s own controversial views, including claims of demonic exorcisms, and the influence she exerted over Tate were exposed.

In Youtube videos, she self-publicised her impact on the mayor and efforts to convert him to the radical Christian movement called the Seven Mountain Mandate.

Baynes even claimed she was in contact with God and sent texts of His messages to Tate, whom she baptised in 2018.

She also labelled the city’s iconic Home of the Arts (HOTA) cultural precinct a “demonic stronghold,” and proclaimed she was engaged in a spiritual battle to cast out the demonic spirits form the place and awaken the city to God.

Tate defended Baynes’ right to free speech.

He denied the report vindicated Baynes’ appointment or was aimed at justifying her role.

Rather, the mayor said, this latest report showcasing the impact of Christian and other religious community groups could help the city understand how it could better serve the community.

The NAYBA report attracted responses from 52 per cent of faith-based organisations on the Gold Coast.

It found 355,913 people served the community in the past year, which was equivalent to 57 per cent of the Gold Coast population.

It found the total social impact value to the Gold Coast of the community work was
$43,093,688 a year.

“As an engineer, I go straight to the crux. Conservatively each year, religious groups in this city and volunteers have given in the value of $43 million,” Tate said.

“Now, the important part is where do we go from here, what do we do next?

“We will drill down further to see any of the volunteer groups that need additional help, resources or whatever it may be…so that we can help even more people,” he said.