5 June

A couple of facts about this year’s festival. It’s not a local business that’s rescuing it, it’s a Sydney ride business. A ride business Council employed when it was allowed to run the festival, before its newly elected Trumpies starved it of funds by opposing any action on rates. At the last Council meeting stats emerged. Last year’s ‘private’ festival, run by local business (Council staff still provided most of the expertise to help them get it running), made only about $1.8 million for the community. When Council runs the festival it makes about $18 million for the community. 10 times more. The difference between those two revenue figures alone would easily cover Council’s shortfall in revenue. This year most of that revenue will leave the town, to go back to the Sydney company.