4 June 2009

Burnouts, Boobs and Bankruptcy

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Chic Henry is stepping up the cat and mouse game, having sent the company that runs Summernats into voluntary liquidation.

The ABC have the full details here – apparently EPIC are owed in excess of $200,000. Surprisingly, tickets for Summernats 2010 are still on sale – but who’s buying them?

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Showgirl said :

Duke – I’ve never been to the Bathurst 1000 and never want to go. If some people on this thread think Summernats is bad, they should go to ‘the hill’ at Bathurst. I’ve seen DVD’s of Bathurst and it would make anyone shudder…..

Been there, spent my time in tent city. doesn’t mean that I want to show my car there, not by a long shot…

Duke – I’ve never been to the Bathurst 1000 and never want to go. If some people on this thread think Summernats is bad, they should go to ‘the hill’ at Bathurst. I’ve seen DVD’s of Bathurst and it would make anyone shudder…..

I think that’s what voluntary liquidation is all about.

@ Showgirl. I have interviewed Chic Henry on several occasions and found him to be exactly as you described, though I suspect he loves Summernats more than his own family.

Unfortunately it always has and always will attract bogans. All these fraidy cats who want to ban it need to visit the Bathurst 1000 one year, just to gain some perspective.

Showgirl said :

And if anyone read Saturday’s Canberra Times, they said that Summernats only owes money to some staff, Epic and 2 electricians.

Six months down the road they still owe people money who provided their services before and during the event… that’s awesome

From talking to people who know, Summernats is going back to the basics in 2010. Cars have always and will always be the main attraction.

I suspect that this is the only way that summernats has any chance of public support and continued existence in Canberra. I really hope it is true, because I like cars and think the event could be great, but am frequently disappointed.

I like boobs too, but standing in a crowd of several thousand to look at them is about as appealing as the idea of having sex while being watched by a dozen Cronulla football players…

Showgirl said :

From talking to people who know, Summernats is going back to the basics in 2010. Cars have always and will always be the main attraction.

if you can get the yobbos who come to look at women and act like to louts all the time at the event to stay away, good luck. personally, i doubt that anything will change.

Showgirl said :

From talking to people who know, Summernats is going back to the basics in 2010. Cars have always and will always be the main attraction.

Back to the basics, yet it’s always been about cars…?

From talking to people who know, Summernats is going back to the basics in 2010. Cars have always and will always be the main attraction.

Nambucco Deliria said :

Obviously, no-one here has actually talked to Chic. He is definately not a ‘greasy, oleagenous conman’. If you meet the man he loves his family and friends (and he has a lot of friends). He is passionate about cars. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be as passionate about anything the way he is passionate about cars…..

Apparently Ronnie and Reggie Kray were big family men.

the problem is that, although he is passionate about cars, the event has gone backwards, it used to be about the cars, now it is about the booze, the bad behaviour, the destruction of people’s property around the event, not so much about the cars. I have participated at the summernats a couple of times. I stopped when it became obvious that the idiots looking at my car didn’t understand what it took to keep it in top condition, and that when i asked them to not lean on the car, I actually was being serious.

I have several mates who live for their cars. improving them, repairing them, restoring them. They take pride in their cars, but would never take them to summernats. If the car enthusiasts are staying away, what is the main attraction?

Cleaning Mitchell, Dickson, Downer and Watson???? It’s probably the same people that clean up Regatta Point and Commonwealth Park after SkyFire.
And if anyone read Saturday’s Canberra Times, they said that Summernats only owes money to some staff, Epic and 2 electricians.

And BTW, Summernats has only received 1 large grant from the ACT government.

Nambucco Deliria9:32 am 11 Jun 09

Obviously, no-one here has actually talked to Chic. He is definately not a ‘greasy, oleagenous conman’. If you meet the man he loves his family and friends (and he has a lot of friends). He is passionate about cars. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be as passionate about anything the way he is passionate about cars…..

Apparently Ronnie and Reggie Kray were big family men.

Showgirl said :

Cleaning – That’s got nothing to do with EPIC. I’ve got friends in the cleaning company and Summernats pay them directly.

Who do you think pays to clean up Watson, Dickson, Downer and Mitchell? These suburbs look like garbage tips for days after Summernats. I’ll give you a clue….it isn’t Chic.

Showgirl said :

Unlike some of you I actually have a life.

Floriade, The Multicultural Festival, etc, are a waste of Tax Payers money. No one has yet mentioned SkyFire and the amount of taxpayers money goes to put that on – extra police, road closures, the huge cleanup and the list goes on.

Obviously, no-one here has actually talked to Chic. He is definately not a ‘greasy, oleagenous conman’. If you meet the man he loves his family and friends (and he has a lot of friends). He is passionate about cars. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be as passionate about anything the way he is passionate about cars…..

We all have a life, showgirl. telling everybody yours is better than theirs is a purile argument. Oh, hang on a minute isn’t that ‘the Summernats way’? i.e. “My cars better than yours”, “my diff’s better than yours”, “my burnouts better than yours”, “my subwoofers better than yours”, “mu t1ts are better than yours” and finally we now have “my outstanding debts are bigger than yours”.

Personally, I’m passionate about loads of things but making money off of my fellow other enthusiasts, constantly seeking subsidies to fund my passion and not paying my bills isn’t one of them.

I’m not sure and anyway why should it be? If the cleaning company wants to give out this information – that’s up to them.

Showgirl said :

Cleaning – That’s got nothing to do with EPIC. I’ve got friends in the cleaning company and Summernats pay them directly.

Seem to have a lot of friends around the place… That’s good. It’s hard to dispute a public record, though. Is this cleaning thing on the public record?

Cleaning – That’s got nothing to do with EPIC. I’ve got friends in the cleaning company and Summernats pay them directly.

if chic wants to hold summernats at a venue that he won’t have issues with over rent, perhaps he should look at buying an area of land, creating all areas of summernats out there, and not worry about the act govt, the detractors, etc. Better yet, he could see if queanbeyan wants to hold it at the showground.

actually i think epic is still waiting for summernats to pay for the cleaners for last year.

Slightly off topic, I went to Uni with the girl who won the wet t-shirt comp at this years summernats….

I’m sure she is very proud of her achievements…

She has a very nice set of achievements….

Actually, she was very happy with both her participation and victory.

Showgirl said :

No one makes the girls enter the wet t-shirt competition. It’s up to the individual if they want people looking at them in skimpy wet t-shirts.

And with Skyfire – if they don’t charge admission, then who pays for the cleanup??? Summernats pays cleaners to clean EPIC.

All that aside, you’ll note there has been discussion on this site concerning the appropriateness of events like Floriade etc receiving government funding.

No one makes the girls enter the wet t-shirt competition. It’s up to the individual if they want people looking at them in skimpy wet t-shirts.

And with Skyfire – if they don’t charge admission, then who pays for the cleanup??? Summernats pays cleaners to clean EPIC.

I’d be prouder of p1’s…

p1 said :

Slightly off topic, I went to Uni with the girl who won the wet t-shirt comp at this years summernats….

I’m sure she is very proud of her achievements….

Showgirl said :

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be as passionate about anything the way he is passionate about cars…..

I think I’ve mentioned in other posts that I am passionate about beer. Why won’t anyone take me seriously? If you pay me, I will drink beer!

No one has yet mentioned SkyFire and the amount of taxpayers money goes to put that on – extra police, road closures, the huge cleanup and the list goes on.

This would be a valid point if it wasn’t for the fact that skyfire doesn’t charge admission. Might actually be an interesting business model change to do away with entry fees for spectators at summernats, but slightly increase the cost of entrants and booze. I reckon they would recoup the lost gate fees in extra grog sales no worries, while making the mornings attract more families/girls, before the bogans get totally juiced up.

Slightly off topic, I went to Uni with the girl who won the wet t-shirt comp at this years summernats….

+1 Showgirl. Hot.

Unlike some of you I actually have a life.

Floriade, The Multicultural Festival, etc, are a waste of Tax Payers money. No one has yet mentioned SkyFire and the amount of taxpayers money goes to put that on – extra police, road closures, the huge cleanup and the list goes on.

Obviously, no-one here has actually talked to Chic. He is definately not a ‘greasy, oleagenous conman’. If you meet the man he loves his family and friends (and he has a lot of friends). He is passionate about cars. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be as passionate about anything the way he is passionate about cars…..

how about “BOGANS…..BOOZE…….AND BITCHES?

oh….and cars

johnboy said :

If the ACT Government lets anything named summernats take place at EPIC before getting paid for the use of it this year there will be a lot of trouble.

Silly JB! It’ll be renamed so that it creates some distance to Summernats.

I propose the new festival be named ‘Cars,t!ts & stuff’. There, that’ll bring in some decent folk.

Nambucco Deliria9:03 pm 09 Jun 09

Why is that trolling? It’s a perfectly reasonable question. Does showgirl have nothing better to do than defend the indefensible?

Nambucco Deliria said :

Showgirl you seem to have eased off in the intensity of your argument. Let’s try and raamp things up again. Summernats is an appalling waste of ACT resources, Chic Henry is a greasy, oleagenous conman and you are one of his hapless stooges. Discuss.

Do you have nothing better to do than troll?

Nambucco Deliria5:48 pm 09 Jun 09

Showgirl you seem to have eased off in the intensity of your argument. Let’s try and raamp things up again. Summernats is an appalling waste of ACT resources, Chic Henry is a greasy, oleagenous conman and you are one of his hapless stooges. Discuss.

If the ACT Government lets anything named summernats take place at EPIC before getting paid for the use of it this year there will be a lot of trouble.

Showgirl I’ll see ya there 🙂

Are you asking if I want to be in the wet t-shirt comp??? I don’t think anyone would want to see a 40 year old in a wet t-shirt.

If you want Chic to wear the wet t-shirt, I’m sure he would.

Showgirl said :

Bring on Summernats 2010!!!

I’ll be there!

Can you ask Chic to enter the wet t-shirt contest please?

Bring on Summernats 2010!!!

I’ll be there!

vg said :

I’ll quote you on that come January

Happy to prove you wrong its ok.

Within weeks we all will know who will be the new owners for the event is, and will be all systems go for Summernats 2010

The weekend of the nats is one of the busiest for city pubs and clubs, this putting a fair bit of cash into canberra. But that saidthe government could support many other more appealing events to get the same result.

re chic being broke!

Summernats is the best example of a cash cow in Australia. The actual turnover declared i would say would be some where around 60% of actual turnover. imagine having thousands of people (bogans and booners) locked in a 100 acres paddoch where you had sole rights to alcohloe sales and every one inside the event (other than “security”) paid to be there. I would say that around 500k could be pulled out of this baby each year in undeclared booze sales.

I would love to own this business, other than the stigma attached

i’d go to that 😛

Let’s have the ACT government take over Summernats! – get the vocational training people at the AMC to knock up some short courses on running a national car event, and:

Get it staffed for free by ex-inmates (or give out weekend passes) who are certified as caterers, bouncers, marshals, ticket-sellers, cleanup crews etc, along with the barristas they’re currently training.

Replace Chic Henry with John Hargreaves.

Replace the standing Summernats events guidelines with ones which have been through the ACT government’s policy mill, particularly around violence and sexual harassment.

Profits to be returned directly to the taxpayers of Canberra to compensate us for the money we’ve had forked out on our behalf already…

Summernats threads are always predictable
Act 1. Group A happy to see it go
Act 2. Group B people are unhappy to see it go
Act 3. Group B brings up Floriade and questions it’s value to the community
Act 4. Group B tells Group A to get a life.

Every time.

Showgirl said :

Please let me know how much it costs to set-up and run Floriade. I’d rather my taxes go to something that benefits locals, not grannys that come here for the day on buses and don’t spend a cent.

I’ve went to floriade 2 times last year and i was 20. Imo it’s much better than getting drunk and abusing women to get their “tits out for the boyz”. Most of the “grannys” drive up, stay at B&Bs and donate quite a bit to the economy. Summernats drive up, and camp outside in EPIC – the only business is Maccas, petrol stations, and the occasional police fines (assuming it offsets the police presence at the event)

Showgirl said :

Maybe some of the narrow minded people out there would be better to speak directly to the man – Chic Henry and get the full and correct story

I don’t know if you read that little box next to the RiotACT logo: “…. It’s an open and interactive ACT online soapbox, a Riot. It is “right of reply”.”
Chic can join up and respond here. I’m sure at least one of his friends know how to use the internet.

Showgirl said :

Maybe some of the narrow minded people out there would be better to speak directly to the man – Chic Henry and get the full and correct story.

It seems that we can all jump up and down about the way the Summernats is run and what it may or may not cost the community.

I think that if Summernats closes for any reason Canberra’s economy would suffer.

It’s some of the people who write on this site that makes me wonder why I moved to Canberra in the first place. Maybe I should join the rest of you and move to the coast during January, then Canberra could close down altogether.

Isn’t part of the issue the fact that the company relies on public money and claims it tries to weed out the poorly behaved blokes yet encourages that ilk by hosting wet t-shirt contests etc? Is it about cars or tits?

It’s pretty obvious you’re a classy lady who loves both Chic and Summernats. I’m quite open-minded – I don’t have an opinion of what you do in your spare time….

Maybe some of the narrow minded people out there would be better to speak directly to the man – Chic Henry and get the full and correct story.

It seems that we can all jump up and down about the way the Summernats is run and what it may or may not cost the community.

I think that if Summernats closes for any reason Canberra’s economy would suffer.

It’s some of the people who write on this site that makes me wonder why I moved to Canberra in the first place. Maybe I should join the rest of you and move to the coast during January, then Canberra could close down altogether.

The ACT government has only given a small grant 2 years ago to help supplement their costs. As far as I know Summernats does not receive any other money from the local government.

That “small” grant was reportedly $200-300k. If as is reported a large chunk of the debt of the company in administration is owed to EPIC, then add a further $200k plus to that for this year’s event.

As for whether they receive other money from government I don’t know what the arrangements are for things like traffic controls, additional policing, rubbish removal, etc etc. I’d be surprised if Summernats is meeting the full marginal costs of these.

If you were running an event, of any kind, wouldn’t you like some help when you are bringing money in the local economy – hotels, restaurants……
And think about the number of staff that is employed for the event, there must be 100’s.

It would be nice if I could demonstrate the total benefits exceeded the costs to the community.

Most other major events held at EPIC are run by volunteers.

Not sure the relevance of this other than does it indicate car lovers are less inclined to volunteer their time than others?

And calling Summernats a ‘Bogan-Fest’, well I am certainly not a bogan and would like you and anyone else to call those who love their cars and spend $100k’s on them, Bogans to their faces. The only ‘Bogans’ are some idiots that give Summernats a bad name. Just go to Braddon on a Friday or Saturday night.

I’m sure that the troublesome element is probably only hundreds out of the thousands that attend. Simple solution for Chic – do everything possible to discourage them attending, kick them out when they show the slightest hint of bogan behaviour. Easy! Why is it that he throws his hands up and claims not to be able to do much? Quite likely because this element is in fact significant enough to be material to the event’s finances. Clearly it is because Chic actively promotes events at Summernats that are directly catering to them.

Second, if enthusiasts spend thousands on their cars, what prevents Summernats charging enough for admission to fully cover costs and generate a profit? Surely an extra $50 or $100 to attend is a drop in the ocean for them?

Please let me know how much it costs to set-up and run Floriade. I’d rather my taxes go to something that benefits locals, not grannys that come here for the day on buses and don’t spend a cent.

I can’t argue with this. Myself, I’d put all these type of events on a fully commercial footing and tell them they don’t deserve to survive if they can’t generate commercial returns. IMO, that goes for the Raiders and Brumbies too.

If you don’t like Summernats – don’t come and then those that love Summernats can enjoy it!

Fair enough, however the thing you enjoy poses costs/inconvenience on tens of thousands of non-attendees, eg the noise that the residents of North Canberra cop, the traffic disruptions they get to enjoy for about a week, etc. Find a way to keep it all contained within EPIC and I doubt anyone would have a problem.

I love how everyone jumps on the bandwagon. .. Chic is not broke, .. he has put one of his companies into voluntary liquidation, but the summernats will be back next year, and years to come

Ah, some strange new definition of “not broke”. If the company is being put into VA when not broke, why? Simply to avoid paying its debts. Thats fraudulent at worst, but certainly unethical business practice at best.

Firstly, apologies for the lack of paragraphs in the following – my keyboard has problems. Showgirl, the ACT Government (via taxpayers) plows hundreds of thousands of dollars into Summernats every year; in traffic control, extra police and emergency services, the massive clean-up etc etc. This doesn’t include the extra “grants” to shut Chich Henry up when he whinges that he can’t afford the rent ! Most of the money that comes into the ACT at Summernats time is either spent within the confines of EPIC (going directly back to Sydney and Melbourne) or at places like Sinsations and into the hands of organised crime groups. Shall I start on the substantial environnmental and social cost ? Not great use of taxpayers money – and many of us are over it.

Nambucco Deliria12:35 pm 09 Jun 09

Showgirl said :

Are you saying that because I have no first hand experience of bestiality that I shouldn’t roundly condemn it? Looks like I need to retire to somewhere quiet to re-examine my values.

Like I said before – Don’t believe everything you read in the Canberra Times.

Maybe you should go to the Summernats and actually experience the fun and excitment of the event.

I wasn’t referring to the Canberra Times. I was merely pointing out that your glib ‘don’t knock what you don’t know’ statement doesn’t hold much water.

Are you saying that because I have no first hand experience of bestiality that I shouldn’t roundly condemn it? Looks like I need to retire to somewhere quiet to re-examine my values.

Like I said before – Don’t believe everything you read in the Canberra Times. Maybe you should go to the Summernats and actually experience the fun and excitment of the event.

Remember people – Brumbies and Raiders get millions of bucks each year from the ACT taxpayer – and operate out of a completly refurbished venue at little cost to them……

If it does go – any event suggestions for the New Year period in Canberra?

There are lots of hobby events held in Canberra that don’t require subsidisation by the taxpayer via the government. Then again, many of those events don’t have highly-paid “executives” running them, either. Maybe the chook fanciers could tender to run Summernats.

Davo111 said :

So he wants free venue, all the cars he doesn’t pay for etc, the only thing he pays for is insurance, advertising, and security… Don’t you think hes taking you for a ride?

Never been to summernats, not a big fan of bogans etc but there’s plenty of people off-base here, and this is pretty symbolic of it.

So, someone organises an event (like summernats.) They don’t have to personally work as the performer, promoter, vendor, cleaner or security to earn their money. Get over it!

#5, #7 – I believe bankruptcy laws mean that all debts up to 6 months before bankruptcy are included in procedings. Get cash upfront for something less than 6 months before they declare bankruptcy and you could have to give it to the liquidators. Further, I believe Mr Henry will have (some) personal liability for debts. Voluntary liquidation != bankruptcy .. basically, what #53 said.

Nambucco Deliria12:08 pm 09 Jun 09

Showgirl said :

Clown Killer – some people love their cars just as some people love horses. Don’t you have a hobby that you love????

Don’t knock what you don’t know…..

Are you saying that because I have no first hand experience of bestiality that I shouldn’t roundly condemn it? Looks like I need to retire to somewhere quiet to re-examine my values.

Bogan grannies at Floriade tick me off. I hate the way they walk side-by-side really slowly in narrow thoroughfares, and pull out their purses full of 5 cent coins to pay for a tea. It only takes a few bad apples like that to ruin the entire event.

Clown Killer – some people love their cars just as some people love horses. Don’t you have a hobby that you love????

Don’t knock what you don’t know…..

Clown Killer11:44 am 09 Jun 09

I … would like you and anyone else to call those who love their cars and spend $100k’s on them, Bogans to their faces.

In that context it would be more accurate to refer to them as idiots rather than bogans.

The ACT government has only given a small grant 2 years ago to help supplement their costs. As far as I know Summernats does not receive any other money from the local government. If you were running an event, of any kind, wouldn’t you like some help when you are bringing money in the local economy – hotels, restaurants……
And think about the number of staff that is employed for the event, there must be 100’s.

Most other major events held at EPIC are run by volunteers.

And calling Summernats a ‘Bogan-Fest’, well I am certainly not a bogan and would like you and anyone else to call those who love their cars and spend $100k’s on them, Bogans to their faces. The only ‘Bogans’ are some idiots that give Summernats a bad name. Just go to Braddon on a Friday or Saturday night.

Please let me know how much it costs to set-up and run Floriade. I’d rather my taxes go to something that benefits locals, not grannys that come here for the day on buses and don’t spend a cent. From what I understand the local government has not given any money to the Summernats for the last 2 years.

If you don’t like Summernats – don’t come and then those that love Summernats can enjoy it!

For a commercial enterprise to need taxpayers’ money to prop it up is pretty woeful. If the incumbent can’t run it at a profit, then they maybe need a business-person who can.

I really can’t see whats so hard about making summernats profitable. Simple, charge enough for admission to cover the costs. I’d think that many of the people going are enthusiasts happy to spend thousands on their cars, so whats an extra $20,$50, $100 even? If they truly value the event I’m sure they’d be happy to pay more to go to it.

Showgirl, i really hope you are trolling. If he was that ‘passionate’ about Summernats he would throw ever last cent he had into the venture, instead of ‘pimping’ up his ride, and having deluxe weekends in threadbo. The government has been throwing wayyyy to much money into this bogan-fest, that could easily run without the funding if it was organised properly.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/01/09/1823963.htm

Read post #41 – http://the-riotact.com/?p=10233
So he wants free venue, all the cars he doesn’t pay for etc, the only thing he pays for is insurance, advertising, and security… Don’t you think hes taking you for a ride?

Self funded my arse. Summernats is a business enterprise which nets plenty of cash for Chic and his backers. The car enthusiasts who frequent the event pay for it. That cars are what have made Chic plenty of cash over the years adds to his love of them.

Summernats will be on next year in Canberra and I for one will be going.

Why is it that some like to ‘kick people while they’re down’?

Anyone thought that Mr Henry may need some ‘time out’ with his son at Thredbo??

What’s the saying – ‘get on with life – don’t dwell on the past’? If anything bad happens to you in your life, I hope you would still carry on and not stay at home thinking what happened???

Summernats happens once a year for 4 days. It is self funded (yes I know that they received a grant 2 years ago – that paid for the rent of EPIC).

I would like to see anyone as passionate about anything as Chic is about cars, put on an event in Canberra and keep it going for over 20 years.

Chic – keep going, we love you!

Yep, Henry’s just trying some brinkmanship, to reduce his costs, get the nats some free publicity, and mobilise his bogan army. And yes, I reckon the way it has been run in recent years has a lot to do with the rubbish that’s been going on. I remember the first few events, the supercruise up northbourne, and it was good stuff.

It went to hell in a handbasket some years after it first began, and should evidently be held in a large paddock many kms from civilisation. Despite Henry’s claims, it does not appear that alternative venues are “lining up” to hold the summernats. Funny, that.

Maybe Henry’s investigating having it at Thredbo.

“Chic is not broke”

Love to see him have a shot at being a company director again though

More likely it’s just Chic trying to hold the nats to ransom saying he will take it elsewhere as he’s not making enough cash. Maybe it’s how he’s running things etc that are keeping the spectators away?

I’ll quote you on that come January

I love how everyone jumps on the bandwagon. .. Chic is not broke, .. he has put one of his companies into voluntary liquidation, but the summernats will be back next year, and years to come

No other group of citizens are more deliberately disadvantaged by the ACT Legislative Assembly than motorsport/motoring enthusiasts. Both Labor and Liberal have done their best (and succeeded) in denying venues for motorsport and motorsport events in the ACT.

Even the NCA has got in on the act by refusing the use of OPH lawns for static motoring displays.

Yes, we have a hillclimb site, but even there the operation is constrained by acquiesence to the sensibilities of one particular individual living in the Ridgeway.

The Motorists Party did not get up at the last election, but the vote did show a level of support that is hard to dismiss lightly. What sort of support would a party promoting football (for example) have enjoyed?

Yes, the Summernats attracted a bogan element, but among a wide spectrum of enthusiasts. I am coming to the conclusion that by concentrating on this less savoury element, the objective of stopping another motoring event will be succesful.

Confusedwouldwe4:40 pm 08 Jun 09

I am also sorry to hear that the Bogan Pride Parade that is SummerNats may be coming to an end. Maybe if they had branched out a bit with some new events like; the running of the bogans and the biggest loser [of license points].

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy3:27 pm 08 Jun 09

As much as this was a pain in the arse for many local residents, it’s just another thing that added colour to Canberra being taken away.

Timberwolf652:11 pm 08 Jun 09

I had some fun times out the Nats, it all went to hell when they stopped the supercruz from cruzin’ up and down Northbourne, due to some unsavory, out of control F@#kwits that destroyed what the true Nats was for everyone else. burnouts outside the starlight drive in…ahhh those were the days.

The end of an era I’m afraid.

Showgirl said :

I’m so glad everyone who reads the Canberra Times takes what they say as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Why is it that you never read about any other companys that go into liquidation???? The Canberra Times has had it in for Chic and Summernats for some time now.

Has anyone ever thought how much it costs ACT taxpayers to put on a flower show???

Or the cost to the many small businesses that make money from Summernats being here?

Even the B&B’s on Northbourne, Hotels, Motels, Dickson Shops, Watson Shops. Service Stations. Jobs for locals, Take away food outlets, the list goes on and on.

To lose this kind of money from our Canberra economy will be a blow in these times.

I also think that the Rules and Regulations that changed each year, Insurance costs and Security all made the Event too expensive to run and will be missed by many more than those who hate it.

Insurance cost alone would be amazing and have to be paid upfront.Possibly worth more than the rent.

The hard work that went on all year to put this Event on was huge. It was not a few weeks out of the year but a full time effort by a dedicated staff.

I think the Government wanted it to fail so they didn’t have to upset so many voters.

A sad time for Chic and his Team.

I’m so glad everyone who reads the Canberra Times takes what they say as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Why is it that you never read about any other companys that go into liquidation???? The Canberra Times has had it in for Chic and Summernats for some time now.

Has anyone ever thought how much it costs ACT taxpayers to put on a flower show???

ant said :

Nice to hear Henry is living it up at Thredbo. Being bankrupt must be terribly hard on him.

He probably arranged to pay the rent after.

“but I think the management of the Nats actually did everything possible to make it a reasonably safe event.”

Like employing bouncers with half a brain cell between them who beat customers on video, and allowing a bikie gang free entry a few years ago.

Yeah, they did a bang up job

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

Give a bogan an open cheque book and they’ll always buy something flashy before they pay their bills.

Absolutely true. They love their toys.

And they don’t have a very well developed sense of their responsibilities, or consideration for others.

Nice to hear Henry is living it up at Thredbo. Being bankrupt must be terribly hard on him.

gun street girl8:09 pm 07 Jun 09

I think booners hail from the ACT region originally. Their cousin, the bogan, lives around Victoria… and they are all related to the NSW derived westie.

I thought a booner was a flanny clad black pencil cut jean and iron maiden shirt wearing metal head – A relative of a bogan, but far less in their natural environment as the mid 80’s to mid 90’s

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy6:47 pm 07 Jun 09

Give a bogan an open cheque book and they’ll always buy something flashy before they pay their bills.

Absolutely true. They love their toys.

I dont care whether it is on or not. Just to let you know chic, i bet i could run your summernats and still be in the green.

This Bogan-fest can’t disappear fast enough for me. Pity this years might still go ahead, it will give Chic even more opportunity to bleat and blame everyone else for his downfall.

Whatever happened to the use of the word “Booner”? Aren’t we booners anymore? Actually they used to just call me a skeg….

Clown Killer4:47 pm 07 Jun 09

I bet you he made sure he got his money though …

The financial troubles of Summernats hasn’t stopped Chic enjoying the fresh mountain air and festivities of the opening weekend at Thredbo – his boganned up Chrysler has been parked out the front of an appartment here all weekend.

Also, I wonder who the geniuses at EPIC were who negotiated to have Chic pay the rent after the event? I’d have thought at least a large upfront deposit would have been the norm, not to mention commonsense, especially as Chic had been bemoaning his financial position for at least a couple of years.

I bet you he made sure he got his money though, the salary for organising boganfest. Actually I wonder if the administrator could pursue some or all of this payment as a preferential payment and have it returned to the company to help pay its creditors? After all at the end of the day it was just a way for Chic to shift money from him as shareholder to him as employee.

According to the CT, Henry owes money all over the place.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/summernats-firm-owes-500000-as-liquidators-called/1533673.aspx
Including $30,000 to five employees for their payout entitlements and super.

Mr Evil said :

Show us ya debts!

GOLDER!

Show us ya debts!

Pandy said :

yep. All we need now is for Clare to be crowned Miss Summernaturals

GOLD!!!!!

Secret Squirrel9:26 am 05 Jun 09

Madame Workalot said :

but I think the management of the Nats actually did everything possible to make it a reasonably safe event.

Yes, like hiring security guards that like beating the absolute crap out of people!!!

The trouble with these kinds of bogan festivals is that they give us bogans a bad name.
No we do not like to participate in organized hoonery.
Canberra – City of the Bogan. And Prowd!

Madame Workalot9:06 am 05 Jun 09

ant said :

The trouble with chic’s nats was, in later years, it was mostly bad apples.

I kind of agree ant, in the sense that there did seem to be an influx of idiots in Canberra generally. I do have to say though, that behaviour like that was rarely seen at the Nats itself. Hopefully getting rid of the Nats will fix that problem, but I think the management of the Nats actually did everything possible to make it a reasonably safe event.

The trouble with chic’s nats was, in later years, it was mostly bad apples.

Clown Killer8:58 am 05 Jun 09

Don’t let the door slap you on the butt on the way out Chic …

Madame Workalot8:48 am 05 Jun 09

vg said :

Give a bogan an open cheque book and they’ll always buy something flashy before they pay their bills.

Case in point, Chic Henry.

It would be a ripper of a thing to buy too. Getting rid of a business because its losing money is always a strong selling point.

I’ll give Chic one more shot at blaming someone other than his creative accountant before this ship sinks. If you bought a ticket for 2010 now is a good time to get a refund. It’ll move to the Western Sydney Dragway, where its demographic is

I hope it does move to Sydney. Close enough for those Canberrans who want to go to manage it easily and I won’t have to listen to the rest of Canberra whinging about it any more 🙂

Kinda draws some parallels with the whole fireworks argument, doesn’t it? Good concept in theory, but some bad apples spoil it for the rest of us…

yep. All we need now is for Clare to be crowned Miss Summernaturals

Goodbye Boogans 🙂

chic chic bust?

Oh well played sir, well played.

Comment of the week!

vg said :

Give a bogan an open cheque book and they’ll always buy something flashy before they pay their bills.

I have to pay that one. It’s spot-on.

When the hell is chic bloody henry going to be held to account and shown the door (preferably with a boot up his bum)? It’s really galling that taxpayers’ money has been shovelled to him, plus all the extras like taxpayer-funded services being used to support his event.

It’s an anti-social event, probably got the owner a lot of “action” but enough’s enough. but he needs to be made to pay his bills before he’s run out of town, for ever, hopefully.

but who’s buying them?

People who don’t (or more likely can’t) read the news?

That would be all the idiots that attend this inbred bogan festival (chic chic bust?) +4

Give a bogan an open cheque book and they’ll always buy something flashy before they pay their bills.

Case in point, Chic Henry.

It would be a ripper of a thing to buy too. Getting rid of a business because its losing money is always a strong selling point.

I’ll give Chic one more shot at blaming someone other than his creative accountant before this ship sinks. If you bought a ticket for 2010 now is a good time to get a refund. It’ll move to the Western Sydney Dragway, where its demographic is

One can only dream of the demise of the bogan festival.

bean said :

chic chic bust?

giggle. We can only hope.

grunge_hippy9:27 pm 04 Jun 09

but where will i get my bogan fix from once a year??? i still recall a photo in the canberra times in the early 90’s, where a rather largish woman, sitting watching the cars goes past had a bourbon in one hand, and the other can placed rather firmly in her ample bosom… classic.

One wonders why it has taken so long for Chic to admit he was bankrupt. His begging for funding concessions was obviously a ploy to get him out of his own debts and away from the fact he has obviously squandered all the cash from the event. Trading while insolvent is a pretty serious crime too last time I checked..

Very good, bean

bean said :

chic chic bust?

+1 bwahahahaha

chic chic bust?

Mr Evil said :

Pssst, anyone want to buy a slightly used…..slightly tarnished…. Summernats name?

Pssst, anyone want to buy a slightly used Summernats name?

p1 said :

If the company is the one with all the debts associated with “Summernats”, yet Chick personally owns the name of the event, then I am very suspicious that it has all been set up not just to limit personal liability, but to deliberatly allow the cashing out and profit by individuals. Does anyone know if the company owes money to more then just EPIC?

The owner of a name leases the right to use the name for a certain sum of money to a third party. The third party sells access to the name, then pays the name lease costs. The company spends all the revenue on the right to use the name, leaving nothing but a debt to a third party. No assets, no money, no payment.

But that might not be the case here…

What is the case is an epic representative was on the news last night saying how they are getting ready for the 2010 summernats. One would think they’d want payment for the last before they’d agree to lease the site to the same event again, even if the company running it is technically a different company with the same principals and shareholders.

Remembering: http://the-riotact.com/?p=11925 – Maybe the gubment were right after all…

So chic pays himself hansomly, doesn’t pay his debts the company goes bankrupt owing a fortune but due to its limited liability structure he doesn’t have to pay a cent then goes on to sell the summernats name for a sh!tload.

If that’s the way it pans out, then no-one’s going to loan any company he’s associated with any money in the future – or rent them facilities without payment upfront.

Goodbye Chic don’t come back, we won’t miss you.

Funny how it has all come back home to roost isn’t it?

….then goes on to sell the summernats name for a sh!tload.

If the company is the one with all the debts associated with “Summernats”, yet Chick personally owns the name of the event, then I am very suspicious that it has all been set up not just to limit personal liability, but to deliberatly allow the cashing out and profit by individuals. Does anyone know if the company owes money to more then just EPIC?

but who’s buying them?

People who don’t (or more likely can’t) read the news?

screaming banshee2:48 pm 04 Jun 09

So chic pays himself hansomly, doesn’t pay his debts the company goes bankrupt owing a fortune but due to its limited liability structure he doesn’t have to pay a cent then goes on to sell the summernats name for a sh!tload.

Thats got to be white collar crime.

The company paid Chic’s wage, don’t forget…

summernats were given a grant ($200k or $300k) from act government……how the fuck can they be owing the same amount? trying to tell us it cost 400k plus to run the thing and it did not make a cent?

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