A strange week for Chic Henry

Ant – another phrase I like to throw in is: torn from arsehole to breakfast. Always gets a good reaction that one.

Well, I’m not admitting that I love the Seekers then.

rosebud said :

Mr Shab, if I want to make a bloke feel uncomfortable, asking him to take his top off or threatening to write 1970s feminist grafitti on a wall generally doesn’t do it. However, I find that a good birthing story, using phrases like ‘baby’s head breached’, ‘buckets of blood’ and ‘post partum placenta’ makes most blokes feel uncomfortable enough to leave a ladies only gathering at high speed.

I can guarantee that some ladies would be following hard on the heels of the exiting blokes.

> The Seekers live at the Myer music bowl always scaresme…

Me too. I’m pretty sure Judith Durham is some kind of reanimated corpse.

What about a prison rock concert, for scary atmosphere. That Johhny Cash in San Quentin album always gives me the heeby geebies.

Good thought Granny. I’d find a group of aggro blokes leering “show us yer ringhole” pretty intimidating.

Even then, I can’t see any openings for a “violently in denial of own sexuality potential male-rapist convention” in Canberra any time soon.

sepi – If they were wielding knives and an evil glint in the eye, perhaps. But we’re straying into a whole different area of the law, here.

Seems to me that in all the anti-‘Nats ranting that the fact the crowds seem to have been pretty well-behaved this year has been missed.

Perhaps there’s a pattern forming. I don’t think you’ll get a crowd of quiet chaps in sports jackets attending the ‘Nats any time soon, but would you settle for “drunk and a bit obnoxious, but not too scary”. You’ve gotta let drop-kicks have some fun. Not everyone’s into gardening and long walks.

So, wow, you’re right. There really may not be a parallel. This has never occurred to me before, and it is quite interesting.

Perhaps the closest parallel would be unwanted sexual harassment of men by other men. This is probably the closest you could get to explaining what it felt like to those who can’t understand why women would object.

Summernats goes way past offensive and into downright scary.

It seems like there is no group of women that could be that scary maybe.

So, would you be more or less offended by an attractive man howling “showusyertits” at you sepi?

I still don’t think the parallel quite works. I don’t personally find the thought of being groped by a pack of p1ssed sheilas that appealing – but I’m not everyman.

I think you’re imagining the wrong kind of women.

Think big beryl from back of beyond, with bad teeth, very large, wearing worn out trackie daks etc.

About as appealling as the beergut nats guys.

I don’t think the parallel quite works sepi. The idea of getting pantsed by a group of horny women probably appeals to a fair chunk of the male population.

Shoe shopping convention?

NOOOOOO!!!!

Chippendales type festival.

Of course men can go, and pay for full price tickets, but don’t stay after dark or you may be grabbed at by big scary women and lose you pants if you go to the wrong areas.

But it would be your fault, cos ‘everyone knows’ this isn’t an event that is safe for men after dark.

rosebud said :

Mr Shab, if I want to make a bloke feel uncomfortable, asking him to take his top off or threatening to write 1970s feminist grafitti on a wall generally doesn’t do it. However, I find that a good birthing story, using phrases like ‘baby’s head breached’, ‘buckets of blood’ and ‘post partum placenta’ makes most blokes feel uncomfortable enough to leave a ladies only gathering at high speed.

That’s not gonna do it. Boys love gross stuff even when they say they don’t. Make us wait while you try on clothes, that gets us every time.

The problem being that there aren’t any easy parallels. If there was some kind of “Birthing Horror Story” convention on; I think the vast majority of men would have the good sense to stay the hell away. Also – I can’t see groups of mothers cornering men and berating them with stories of vaginal prolapse (well, not enough of them to become newsworthy, anyhow).

Besides, I work mostly with women, most of whom are mums. Gory birthing stories are what I call “morning tea”.

Mr Shab, if I want to make a bloke feel uncomfortable, asking him to take his top off or threatening to write 1970s feminist grafitti on a wall generally doesn’t do it. However, I find that a good birthing story, using phrases like ‘baby’s head breached’, ‘buckets of blood’ and ‘post partum placenta’ makes most blokes feel uncomfortable enough to leave a ladies only gathering at high speed.

> Can you imagine holding a massive event, using some govt money, where men were told they can’t go or they will be picked on?

Some kind of “Wymyn’s Festival” maybe? I think if you managed to convince Stanhope that there was a buck for the ACT economy in it, he’d fall over himself to help get it in.

I can see an interesting parallel here. I think the organisers would be busily saying that it was “inclusive” and that men were most welcome. However, there would be a minority of wymyn with a chip on their shoulder who made life uncomfortable for any blokes who rocked up – following them around and berating them as an embodiment of the patriarchal power structure. Some of these wymyn would get drunk on the sisterly solidarity of the event and do something irresponsible, like spraying “Dead men don’t rape” on the war memorial.

Cue hissy fits and counter hissy fits.

Some guys would insist that they enjoy the festival as an eye-opening experience; but many would ask “why are dese chicks gettin my money”.

Sepi – I hear ya! But please expect usual dumb ass responses to your quite legitimate observation.

It was definitely quieter in the surrounding suburbs this year than usual.

– Can you imagine holding a massive event, using some govt money, where men were toldthey can’t go or they will be picked on?

BerraBoy68 said :

Oh BTW: if you think Summernats is all Canberra has going for it, please leave and don’t let the door hit you on your arse on the way out.

What he said.

Although living in Watson for the last few Summernats I have to admit it was pretty quiet this year compared to past years, I know we’ve read about a few isolated incidents here and there but with EPIC only 100 or so metres from my house I had mixed emotions about my expectations of a rowdy weekend being shattered, especially after giving it a right slagging in the leadup.

The fireworks were particularly lovely on Saturday night thankyou Chic, although someone could have warned the neighbourhood doggies!

I highly recommend dumbing yourself down in preparation for the event so as to make it more palatable, as much Woodstock Bourbon as you can handle as early as you can and episodes of WWE Smackdown along with repeats of Walker, Texas Ranger and Blood Sweat and Gears helps. After that I found myself quite fluent in their dialect.

Oh BTW: if you think Summernats is all Canberra has going for it, please leave and don’t let the door hit you on your arse on the way out.

RogerRamjet – thanks for just confirming that the very worst that we think of Summernats is actualy true. Your view that we should just get used to is is ridiculous.

Many of us have said car enthusiasts should have an event if they want one, just not one where:
a) women should either have to dress to suit your needs or just not go;
b) poor behavour is accepted as the norm as you state is should be.

If you think it’s ok to impose your smoke and noise on everybody just to suite yourself, then by all means let us know where you live and I’ll see if I can oblige you by burning a truckload of tyres while playing Mozart (or at least Madness circa 1984) with my volume turned up to 11 in your frony yard. Think your neighbours would complain much?

RiotAct really needs to get some new material.
The same whining wowsers year after year complaining about a bit of noise and smoke for around a week of their year.
Boooooo Hoooooo
If any Canberrians took their family to Summernats on a Saturday night claiming NOT to know what it was all about, then they are IDIOTS. Everyone all over Australia knows what happens at Summernats and those that live in Canberra would be doubly aware.
I’ve been to Summernats 17, 18 and 20 and I did see some poor behaviour. Wow!! Poor behaviour at a sports event!! I’ve been to EVERY Clipsal 500 in Adelaide too. I’ve seen many many more fights at Clipsal and dramas in the pubs afterwards, then in your sleepy little town!! Isn’t Adelaide supposed to be the boring capital??
Some people think cars are a mode of transport to get from A to B. Some don’t. Some people think ball sports or fishing are a waste of a weekend. Some don’t.
Sensitive women should probably avoid summernats as the crowds in certain areas will encourage them to flash their breasts. I have summernats magazines going back to summernats 1 and the behaviours were similar and are part of the Summernats tradition. It works, so don’t change it. At least you have it mostly confined to one area now. i saw sooo many cars getting defected that it isn’t worth cruising into the centre of canberra anymore.
Summernats is a national icon and should be supported. To say Chic isn’t or shouldn’t profit from the event is stupid. I wouldn’t like to organise something that massive!! He deserves to take a slice of the profits. He has websites to run etc etc
I just wish people could accept that others have different interests, take their blinkers off and think of the bigger picture. Summernats is about all Canberra had going for it anyway…….. 🙂

Comment 73 and all before me have done nothing right or wrong, but to promote this vile waste of time.

Who the hell would call a chic Henry anyway?

A lot of people say arrogant when they mean ignorant.

comment 68’s a fair point but it bared no relationship to what you said before.

“These people will receive the Rudd Xmas present of a grand…

We have got to stop encouraging this stuff.”

i don’t understand how you can view that as anything but arrogant.

and no i dont think acting like drunken tools is acceptable behaviour (while it might be easier for you to argue with me if you get to decide my position first most people would consider it pretty poor form.)

comment 58 champ.

breath. takingly. arrogant. as was that response.

i’ll also note that while you launched a somewhat bizarre and juvenile attack on me (i fail to see what relationship my favouring the ALP has to you being an arrogant know it all) you didn’t respond to my point.

thumper; thats an breath takingly arrogant comment to make; “these people”?

‘these people’ pay the same taxes that you do and their votes and opinons are just as important as yours. just because they dont have the same hobbies and spending priorities as you doesn’t mean they aren’t relevant. you need to take a trip down from your ivory tower.

If the Summernats is ‘family friendly’ then the child miniding services are where? Sinsations???

Give me a break!!!

I would gladly pay more tax to see the event not held here. It’s done its dash, it isn’t as good as it used to be, the whole culture of the event has changed etc.

You’ve been to one Summernats, you’ve been to them all…

Time to go Chic, I’m sure there’s some villages in Western Sydney that might be deprived of an idiot or two so why don’t you take the event there and leave us alone once and for all.

Call me a wowser if you like, perhaps I can do burnouts in front of your house all night, harass your girlfriend and use your fence pailings for my campfire and we’ll see how much you enjoy the Nats.

I don’t like the Nats but I do think the ACT gets some long term benefit out of it. I also think it’s only fair that car nuts get somewhere to go to indulge their hobby. That said, I don’t think Chic Henry does himself or his cause any great favours.

He was on 2CA yesterday arvo bemoaning the fact that despite asking the ACT Gov’t for releaf for several ‘years’ and had ‘never’ heard anything from them. I thought it strange that the DJ at the time (5pm) didn’t link this bleat back to Henry’s previous comment of only a few second earlier that he had received $300,000 of taxpayers money only a couple of years back. I also found Henry’s response when the DJ originally mentioned the $300K interesting. Henry responded under a stiffled laugh “yea, that was pretty cool…”.

Back in the olden days, governments took the money they’d collected from teh people, and created things that only governments with this money could do. They call it broadly Infrastructure.

Then Mr Howard changed this, and instead funnelled that money straight into certain peoples’ pockets, so they coudl exercise Choice about where that money went. Well, that was great fun, now everyone can aspire to a very large TV and computer gadgets and shiny new cars. But our health system is crumbling, our roads don’t work, our transport system is inadequate…

I can’t see any gov’t being brave enough to tear this Free Money away from the grasping hands of the Entitled, but when the consequences settle over us, they’ll be the ones screaming the loudest. I think it’s going to be quite ugly.

Thumper said

Here’s a sobering thought.

These people will receive the Rudd Xmas present of a grand…

We have got to stop encouraging this stuff.

It’s nuts, and out of control. The attitudes it’s developing are bad, too. Sit back, open your gaping maws, and expect the government to pour money into them.

It’s quite ironic, I’m one of the workers who don’t get any of this Free Munney (and niether should I), but Mr Bush gave me a “stimulus payment” earlier this year. At the time I thought it was a clumsy, desperate measure to poke the economy, and am rather disappointed to see our government copying them. I bet Gerry Harvey is pleased though.

“Chic”: So is Henry a pussy? ha!

Stanhope apologises to Chic Henry. It’s the sort of apology you give when it’s someone else’s fault, again.

Yes I’m looking at you, dishonourable journalist persons.

Families with kids with kree-ay-tive names, I suspect.

I-filed said :

Summernats has no place being promoted by government. Greens? Have we heard from them yet?

I suspect it may be the Greens who are causing Jon to have a big rethink about the role of the ACT Govt in propping up this crummy events. If Summernats was all about the cars I’d welcome it with open arms – but as it currently stands, it is a festival for moronic behaviour, sexual harrasment, binge drinking and an excuse to act like an arsehole with your arsehole mates. I feel sorry for all those people who come all the way to Canberra thinking Summernats is a family event.

Maybe Summernats IS a family event – but what kind of family it would appeal to in it’s current form, I’d hate to think!

johnnycash said :

…Here’s a great transcript of a 2am conversation from the footpath outside our place:
Female to Male (at max volume): “I don’t understand you, I came to Canberra especially to spend time with you and all you are interested in is cars and beer!”…

Haha, that is solid rock gold!

dexi said :

Sure another pommie with no understanding of Oz sub culture or actual experience of the subject matter telling us what is sensible.

You must have penis envy.

Dexi – did P.B run over your puppie or something? Your petty vindictiveness is a poo-stain on this on this website. Your contributions are neither relevant nor witty. Let it go or piss off back to the hole of bitternesess from whence you crawled.

> Chic only has to work 4 days a year to make more money than I will in my lifetime? My heart bleeds for you Chic.

The event itself runs for 4 days, there would be lots & lots of preperation that would go for months before & after the event.

& if you’re not going to earn $200K in your lifetime, then you need a new job. Being a part time checkout chick would earn you more than that in a lifetime!

Chic only has to work 4 days a year to make more money than I will in my lifetime? My heart bleeds for you Chic.

Poptop, you’re skating VERY close to the Offal Thread. however it was funnier than groany, so maybe not today.

Where does this propriety limited company publish its financials?

Come on Chic – show us your chits!

From the ABC story: “It’s my own business, it’s a propriety limited company, I’m the sole shareholder, the director … and I take a wage out of it.”

He’s the sole shareholder, so the profits (as well as his wage) go to…..

😛

wishuwell said :

Chic’s just rolled over according to 666 10am news.

Is that a response to the CT article today stating that while Chic is saying the event isn’t making enough money and asking for more government assistance, he’s also given himself a considerable payrise?

I might bring my family along so they can get beaten up by security guards.

p1 said :

From the ABC Story: He says he thought the request was reasonable

“It’s just like you might ask your landlord to ease the pain a little bit, I didn’t think it was too big a deal to do that but this has got a roll-on that’s just got right out of control,” he said.

Um … I’d imagine that if anyone asked their landlord to lower their rent, the landlord would pretty much tell them to go get f$%ked.

The ABC website also has the story.

And cancelled summergnats? or just stopped asking for more cash?

Chic’s just rolled over according to 666 10am news.

Family event, lovely family he must have!

I noticed the first of the TV ads have started, and this time there’s no chicks pulling up their shirts, or gyrating strippers, just lots of vehicles roaring away with smoke coming out.

Chic Henry was on Stateline over the weekend, bravely refusing to talk about the wet t-shirt competition and associated boorish bollocks, instead (again) casting the event as a ‘family event’.

I hear that there is some wide open space in the middle of the country…

I have often wondered why they don’t use an old airstrip at Woomera or something.

First things first. Loud music and cars do not offend me. But, I live in Watson. I made the unfortunate mistake of moving into a house that is on the main thoroughfare from EPIC to the Caravan Park. So, all through Summernats there is a whole lot of human traffic going past the front door 24/7. 99% of these people are great – having a good time. The 1% that have to have domestics outside the house at 2am are the pits. And we won’t even mention their inability to put rubbish in its place. Hearing the bands is great but the commentary for the wet t-shirt/adult entertainment isn’t that great.

Here’s a great transcript of a 2am conversation from the footpath outside our place:
Female to Male (at max volume): “I don’t understand you, I came to Canberra especially to spend time with you and all you are interested in is cars and beer!”

Lady – you are truly dense!!

It won’t break too many hearts if Summernats moves elsewhere. I hear that there is some wide open space in the middle of the country 😉

JohnnyCash

Pommy bastard said :

… would it not be an idea to have a family day at Summernats up until say 7.00 pm, then allow it to descend into the non-PC hell hole, Sodom and Gomorrah, some find it, after that time?

After being in Canberra for every single one of the Summernats, I just don’t think it would ever be possible to get the event truly family oriented.

Unless there was an alcohol ban on until then, and attendence numbers would plumet for sure.

If Chic Henry raised ticket prices by $1 he’d be fine.
This is a private enterprise and I doubt most Canberrans would want their tax payer dollars funding this event.

I wonder why this Chic Henry doesn’t move it to Western Sydney? A lot of his constituency is there. I’ll be very disappointed if the ACT gov’t caves in, and feeds this guy taxpayers’ money, when he is clearly making a killing on it.

You can respond to arguments without being abusive dexi.

GottaLoveCanberra said :

Why does it seem that anyone who isn’t a car enthusiast seems to think that those of us who are use our vehicles as some sort of sexual stimulant or as an attempt at raising our libido?
Yes, there are some out there who give the community a bad name but for the love of all things sacred please don’t paint us all with the same brush.

Nobody did tar them all with the same brush, apart from you that is.

Is there no room for humour here?

My suggestion was apposite, if couched in words that, yet again, Dexi finds hard to cope with.

Please, Ive sought atonement for any cause that some may perceive I hold. My comments where directed firmly at this thread and PBs post. To claim as a sensible suggestion that a sign will some how limit the accesses of the common motor head should not go unchallenged. If anything I’m guilty of making a racist comment directed at the idea of the English always thinking they know best when it comes to the Australian way of doing things.

Growing up in Canberra’s street culture surely gives me the right of reply when it comes to all things hoon.

Why does it seem that anyone who isn’t a car enthusiast seems to think that those of us who are use our vehicles as some sort of sexual stimulant or as an attempt at raising our libido?

Yes, there are some out there who give the community a bad name but for the love of all things sacred please don’t paint us all with the same brush.

#26 – Pommy Bastard, I like your ideas there.

Last warning dexi, we can’t be having these cross-thread vendettas no matter how righteous you believe your cause.

Sure another pommie with no understanding of Oz sub culture or actual experience of the subject matter telling us what is sensible.

You must have penis envy.

I know this is probably far too sensible a suggestion for any politician to heed.

But would it not be an idea to have a family day at Summernats up until say 7.00 pm, then allow it to descend into the non-PC hell hole, Sodom and Gomorrah, some find it, after that time?

Warnings could be posted that any young lady present at the event after this time may yelled at by small penis’d morons who are never ever going to get laid and who drive hoonmobiles as a substitute for sexual intercourse.

Farnarkler

The population of Canberra around New Years is a lot closer to 200k people than 340. 100,000 leave for that week to go ‘back home’, to the coast, or just to get out of town…

I’ve been once in the last 5 years, had a great day, was home by 6, but could see as I was leaving that ‘family time’ at the event was ending for the day.

The early years where great. I miss the running riots and cars on the streets doing burn outs for the cheering crowds. It has come a long way. Eventually it will go away.

“Showusyorpenis”

Here’s some news..

“Summernats is a great event for tourists and our community – it is Australia’s leading car festival and brings $20 million to the local economy,” Mr Barr said.
“ACT Labor has guaranteed to keep the day?time event free while at the same time expanding the event into the night and into other parts of Canberra. This is proving very successful, with last year’s event attracting almost 400,000 visits.

Whooops, that was lost in translation…

That money was for Floriade.

One rule for the crumblies, another for car enthusiasts…

Muck, some of those trailer queens are £100k plus. Would you drive your pride and joy anywhere near the knuckle draggers who might want to key it if your car isn’t made by the right company??

According to the 2005 report 9100 Canberrans went (or at least paid to get in) to Summernats. Even if you give a generous 10% per annum increase per year it still means only 13000 Canberrans will visit this year. 13k out of 340k (March 19, 2008 figure) is not a lot.

Maybe it is time summernats moved elsewhere.

Spot on VYBerlinaV8. The early years where fantastic, we even managed to to get a car or two in to some of the events. Unfortunately it’s moved away from the real ‘street machines’, those that are actually driven regulary opposed to the trailer queens which you see now.

Each to their own, but I think the Summernats encourages a bit of the hoon culture which I can live without. IMO Sonic should call Chic’s bluff, if that’s what it is.

I was intrigued by the collective noun for Canberrans though. Could I suggest a crAPS of Canberrans? A suit of Canberrans? A whine of Canberrans?

.

Cranky – the rent would be for more than 3 days – they have to set up before and remove their setup afterwards. Its also possible that it includes the rubbish cleanup and similar costs.

Anyway in the scheme of things, its small fry. Lets see, 100k attendees, average ticket price per day conservatively $30, there’s $3m for starters, plus food and beverage sales, plus charges for entries, the commercial exhibitors for their space, camping etc etc – I imagine revenue is over $5m. Even after paying the rent, Chic’s going to have close to $5m left over to pay his other costs, and make a profit out of it. I’m struggling to see where he spends anything like that. Lets see, security, entertainment, food and beverage, marshals and other organisers, advertising. I reckon there’s a damn healthy profit. (and I note that Chic is double dipping, taking both a salary for his work AND (at least a share of) the profits).

The only reason he whinges to the ACT govt is that he sees them as a soft touch who might give into the risk of having the thing moved elsewhere. Bet you they don’t try asking for special discounts with the beer companies who supply them.

Summernats used to be a really cool event, but over the past few years the quality of the cars seems to have dropped, and the events have gotten a bit tired. I’m a car enthusiast myself, and I have to wonder whether it’s really worth the hassle of having the event here.

In my many years living in Canberra, I don’t think a summernats participant has given me any money at all.

cranky said :

the local vehicle fabrication/modification industry has become highly respected by those involved in the street machine scene. Individual vehicles have cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, a vast proportion of this money spent locally.

Really? Surely all of the entrants/participants would have had all the work done to their cars in their home towns before they got here wouldn’t they?

I couldn’t imagine someone saying….”Well I think I’ll go to Summernats…but I won’t actually fix my car up before I go…I’ll get it done while I’m down there.”

I used to live in Dickson, right near the shops. Sure the event brings lots of trade, but considering we (and several other friends) stopped going to our local during it because of the amount of drunken fights outside of woolies, not to mention the increase in callouts from the ambo station up the street, is it really worth it?

$200,000 for three days rent is a rip-off. Does the Folk Festival or whatever pay the same amount? Is ANY other user required to pay this usury?

Sure, it’s not everyones cup of tea, but methinks the combination of ‘a wowser of Canberrans’ (LOL) and a Gov who cannot help but give the golden goose a real shake, may well result in the event departing.

It would be a pity. Entrants locally spend large sums in various businesses, and the local vehicle fabrication/modification industry has become highly respected by those involved in the street machine scene. Individual vehicles have cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, a vast proportion of this money spent locally.

The display of this technology and craftsmanship is, of course, the reason for the event. That the grog and stupidity have come with it is unfortunate.

A wowser of Canberrans.

Cast your minds back to the TV ads for last year’s Summernats. Loud rock music, images of cars with clouds of smoke coming out, blokes in groups cheering with cans of beer (or other alco stuff in cans), a girl in the act of lifting her top and smiling happily, strippers….

Chic Henry can shut up and rack off, stop bludging off the taxpayer for money, and hope that Canberra people aren’t so sick of the whole thing that his nice little earner isn’t shown the door. Using taxpayers money to subsidise an event where young women are threatened is disgusting and indefensible.

Apt!

A servitude of Canberrans?

I don’t like Summernats and will never, ever darken its door (and thank god I don’t live nearby – my heartfelt comiserations to those who do) but I don’t have an issue with this interest group having a big get together.
However, I thought Mr Henry sounded a bit doofus-esque asking for more money. I think Canberrans (collectively) suffer enough during Summernats.

[What’s the collective noun for Canberrans? committee? caucus? clique? coterie? cabal?]

HA !

I’d be assuming the “forgotten” Treasury brief was an inspired act of carelessness. It works so many ways – makes it clear to everyone that SummerNats has a serious attitude problem that is inconsistent with the expenditure of public money. If (a) the Government pulled the plug and (b) Chic H had nowhere else to go, would local business cough up in exchange for the enormous advantages it’s supposed to bring them?

On the other hand, a straight answer from the SummerNats folk to these questions would be useful – “have you, within the last six months, made or responded to inquiries by other bodies about holding SummerNats somewhere else? Who initiated those inquiries? Are any discussions still proceeding?”. Or is someone playing bluff?

Pommy bastard said :

Ok, not knowing much about this so called “Summernats”, how was a perceived culture of negative portrayal and treatment of women that attached to the event?

If you are in town, I genuinely suggest that you buy a day pass and check it out for yourself. As is pointed out ad nauseam on the Riot Act, once the sun goes down the ‘Nats is not a female-friendly place. Even Blind Freddy knows this. To really get a feel for it, you could even take your teenage daughter, if you have one.

hopefully it will be the last year.

Are you saying that any event promoted by govt has to have “PC, family friendly” approval?

My 15-year-old blonde niece and her friend were separated from family at the event and had to be protected from the drunk yobbo Summernats crowd a few years ago by ‘family people’ nearby. They found it terrifying. They literally had to shelter against a burly bloke who rescued them and walked them to a safe spot with Security. Summernats has no place being promoted by government. Greens? Have we heard from them yet?

I meant to say that he denies that it degrades women and he claims that it is family friendly.

I should also point out I don’t mind the event being here but I don’t want to pay for it if he profiteers from it.

Ok, not knowing much about this so called “Summernats”, how was a perceived culture of negative portrayal and treatment of women that attached to the event?

He always denies that the event degrades women and that it’s family friendly, but they have an officially organised wet t-shirt contest, don’t they? Sure, it’s at the end of the night, but you don’t turn up to it without having been at the day’s events.

But that aside, will Stanhope announce an investigation into the leaking of the minute?