14 March 2007

Rally of Canberra under threat

| johnboy
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The following tantalysing snippet has turned up in Google News:

Funding cut threatens Rally of Canberra
The Canberra Times, Australia – 3 hours ago
Canberra’s premier rally event, the Rally of Canberra, is at risk of being abandoned next year after the ACT Government raised concerns about its financial …

But there appears to be a problem with the page it’s supposed to link to.

Indeed the CT website seems to be having trouble.

Anyone know anything?

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Rileyrally – if it’s worth it, money can always be found for sponsorship.

Unlike some other motorsport events (the GMC 400 springs to mind) the Rally of Canberra has had a good few years to prove its worth to the Territory. I’m afraid it has failed to do so, so I don’t see why the government should have to shell out big bucks to prop up a moribund event.

I think the ‘Nats is a fairly disagreeable heap of excrement – but I don’t begrudge it government support, because we see a decent return on investment. Sadly for the rally, LG had it right when she said “very few people not directly involved give at shit”.

This was all over grandstand and ABC tv news last weekend.

Barr reckons it only draws about 1200 people to Canberra but costs a shitload to run.

It’s a shame though, just another event to go bye bye for Canberra.

Pandy, what the hell does that mean? (Aside that you can’t spell “your”)

Hey LG! You’re partner likes em chunky eh?

God hopes canberra never takes over the Goulburn Region, or the anti-motorsports people or anti-events that minority of Canberra are. Wakefield Park will closed down. I am amazed that some narrow minded people have not complained about that noise
hehehehe

I can’t believe we loss another event that bring money to the town.
I stood out in the forest last year like every other year in the past 7 years. It was bloody hot – that’s why no one was out there. Also there was no special stage sutton road for the families to go watch.
We also missed out on the WRC cause governemnt did want to chip in money. That event would of brought thousands of people to the city and show Canberra of to millions of people via telecasting to the world.

Hope this year event will be better.
As for a sponser well money is tight in the rally road and some manfuctures have pulled out of the ARC. By the ARC will be bigger next year!!!

God Canberra Suck when it comes to any events!!!

I tire of the rally lobby’s claims that they’re so well-backed by the community and that they bring such vast sums of money into the city. Likewise the dragway.

That said, in the case of the ‘Nats I see some evidence behind the rhetoric – but the rally…pish.

Sorry, should have been “very few people NOT directly involved give a shit”. sorry.

Shab: It’s not popular. As a rally widow (eg my partner lives and breathes the stuff) whilst guys involved swear it is “taking off” and “the fault of the government etc etc” and the best thing around, the simple fact is that very few people directly involved really give a shit.

Also, I have found that most of the rally involved people I have met are wankers. Actually, that’s not fair, anyone who is rich and or successful at it are wankers (don’t even start me on Ross “I’m a big legend look at me, no no-one else at the dinner table can talk while I’m holding court” Dunkerton! There are some good blokes (and women) involved.

But really, I don’t think this is a big loss. Don’t tell my partner I said that.

Rally21 – I appreciate that motorsport enthusiasts feel a bit hard-done-by, but if the rally is so screechingly popular, why can’t a sponsor be found?

Just a few points to make being near the event.

ROC 2006 was shown in over 115 countries with an audience of over 85.5 million people. It has a potential audience of 2.5 billion people which is about 1/3 the worlds population. (http://www.power-pictures.com/aprc.asp)

Also for people to understand that the WA government was running the same style of event with an operating cost over 1 million dollars yet the ACT government is running the exact same level of event for under $700,000 dollars. In New Zealand they have done some cost analysis and found that over a 3 year period that they would have an income into NZ of $24 million dollars. Even with a smaller event like ROC then the income would be still acceptable . Spectator numbers where down last year due to one then thing, “The high temps” no one want’s to go stand in the forest in 37c heat. EPIC will not be used as the costs of setting it up are astronomical, over $200,000 per event.

The current government doesn’t like motorsport one bit hence why there is no World Rally Championship here nor is there any Dragway here.

Absent Diane10:00 am 15 Mar 07

Good get rid of it.

paperboy, a round of the world rally championship (which I don’t think we’ve ever hosted – the possibility arose a few years ago when WA dropped out) is a different beast to the Rally of Canberra.

pandy, that was basically gonna be my comment.

$700,000 to Chic Henry then.

Growling Ferret6:47 pm 14 Mar 07

ROC was hurt last year with poor spectator options, and security stopping anyone dropping in to their own better (unofficial) spots.

That and the fact that the Asia Pacific Rally Champ has its weakest fields in its history means that the ROC failed to draw big crowds.

I have been at the Mineshaft with 2-3000 others – and remember the stage at EPIC where 5000 or so watched the Super Special Stage…

I thought this was old news, I heard it was canned last year? But anyway thanks for the refresher so another event that brings 1000’s of tourists to Canberra gone, this is really disappointing, I am massive fan of the rally , and was an even bigger fan of the GMC 400 when are we going to wake up come on Minister Barr!!! Lets try and attract some major events to the Nations Capital eg Cirque du Soleil, I say lets resurrect the Birdman Rally

Found this on the ABC’s website from March 2005!!!

The ACT Motorsport Council has expressed disappointment at the State Government’s decision not to fund a round of the World Rally Championship in Canberra.

Sports Minister Ted Quinlan says the Government cannot afford to underwrite the $10 million event.

Leon Nolan, from the Motorsport Council, says it is yet another blow for motoring enthusiasts in the national capital.

“Once again we miss out on a major event,” he said.

“I think the thing that the Government tends to overlook in considering these sort of things is the affect on tourism.

“You might pay out money up front but you get a lot back in hotel occupancy and tourism generally and just putting Canberra on the map.”

Mr Nolan says it is not the first time motoring fans have been disappointed.

“Everyone’s a bit disenchanted because we lost the GMC 400 for similar reasons,” he said.

“We’re starting to think that motorsport is a disenfranchised sport in the ACT.”

Tourism Minister Andrew Barr has been burring up about the Rally cos it soaks up a shitload of money ($700,000 IIRC) yet the visitor numbers are only in the thousands (if that).

There’s a year left on the sponsorship contract (I think) and the ACT Govt is trying to find ways to get out of it unless another major sponsor can be found.

Apparently the tourism lobby wants the money spent on other things.

I’m yet to fathom the reason my exorbitant rates should be used to fund any activities that only benefit private hotel operators, or fund statues of corrupt Labor mates, for that matter.

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