1 November 2013

Anyone feel they got their $31.6 million dollars worth?

| YouGoonie
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The Centenary’s almost over, does anyone feel they got their $31.6 million dollars worth?

Has there been a ‘a lasting impact on the community’?

‘Ms Archer said she was conscious of using the $31.6 million centenary budget to put on events throughout the year that could have a lasting impact on the community.’ Canberra Times story from September 2012 Read more:

Who cashed in on the centenary year? Was Eddie Obeid involved or do we have our own Eddie Obeid?

I would love to see a break down of the $31.6 million.

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Seeing the first Canberra flight of Skywhale made me very happy.

I liked the guy they got to go on a joyride in the road scraper.

Got my money worth. It’s been quite a fun year, always something on. Kids have loved it and didn’t have to put my hand in my pocket too much.

It’s going to be hard going back to being a city of stuffed shirts in 2014.

GardeningGirl6:27 pm 01 Nov 13

I’ve enjoyed some things. Some are annual events anyway. Some were basically organised by others to coincide with the centenary so I don’t know how much if any of the money went to them. I agreed with some comments people made about what a shame some of the popular events of the past weren’t brought back specially for this year, and I’d add it’s a shame that some other regular events didn’t make an effort to be extra-special this year. I enjoyed some things but I’d almost forgotten it was the centenary, it’s been a bit ho-hum, more like a practice run type 75th anniversary.

I have done very little for the money, but fell it was totally worth it to be able to use the term “Hinden-boob”.

Robyn got her $1.2M dollars worth.

Yep agreed Centenary Trail is great, but that’s $3 mill, what about the other $28.6 million was that well spent?

davo101 said :

So that’s $83 per person….yeap reckon that’s about what I’d expect for all of the various Centenary thing I attended over the year.

Ditto .. and still to come. Gotta put the Centenary Trail to some use – perhaps the Centenary Trail Blaze? http://centenarytrailblaze.com.au/

martin75 said :

Wow $31 million. How many hospital beds, childcare places, extra teachers would that of provided?

Don’t know but we could make a guess. $32 million is a one off payment so we’d have to convert that into an equivalent annual amount (you can’t just hire a teacher or nurse for one year) which would be about $2.5 million. The Health and Education budget in the ACT is about $1.75 billion a year so that extra $2.5 million would be swallowed up and never seen again.

$31.6 million well spent on s***

Wow $31 million. How many hospital beds, childcare places, extra teachers would that of provided?

What did we get instead a weird balloon, some great fireworks, lots of things that happen every year.

Where did the $31 million go? Our friends and family that came to Canberra for the one big day celebrations know it wasn’t spent on toilets or food & drink stalls for the birthday celebrations.

Those fireworks were cool – and have an obvious lasting benefit.

Not sure it has come from that budget but the Centenary Trail is a biggie for me. It will last,

Growling Ferret10:37 am 01 Nov 13

Yep. Attended various functions around the city, taking the kids along to all of them to get them feeling a little civic pride.

Missed One Big Day (but no great loss), attended Australia Day events, have already done 40k of the centenary trail, checked out Spin weekend activities, balloon festival, went to Enlighten, Nightfest and other things I can’t remember off the top of my head.

Given, some are annual ‘BAU’ style events, but its been a good year to get out of the house and check things out if you felt like being an active participant in it all.

There have been events building up to the centenary over the past 3 years, and I’ve definitely gotten my $0 worth of entertainment through attending them.

I’ve even made money as a result of the centenary, as have many artists, which ultimately helps them continue their practise into the future which means more value for money is yet to come.

At the very least the You Are Here festival has had a massive impact on Canberran culture, and SkyWhale is now a part of everyone’s Lexicon… I’m sure there’s plenty of people who have issue with some part or another of the centenary, but it would seem ridiculous to call it a failure or claim it hasn’t affected Canberra’s culture. Unless you have hidden yourself at home these past 3 years…

Well done I say.

Haven’t been to anything yet, and not likely to. Did see the skywhale but that was down in Hobart in June.

So that’s $83 per person….yeap reckon that’s about what I’d expect for all of the various Centenary thing I attended over the year.

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