Spirit of Christmas disappears from Woollahra Council
One of Sydney’s most exclusive spots has become even more exclusive, with Woollahra Council deciding to charge revellers wanting to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks at Yarranabbee Park in Rushcutters Bay.
Woollahra mayor Andrew Petrie said the move was an attempt to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence.
“In response to the increasing crowd numbers at Yarranabbe Park on New Year’s Eve and shared concerns about irresponsible alcohol consumption and public safety, a ticketed event has been planned for Yarranabbe Park in consultation with the Rose Bay Local Area Command,” Cr Andrew Petrie said in his column on the council website.
The council plans to fence off the park and charge a maximum of 12,000 people for entering at night.
Families will be charged $60 to enter, adults $25 and children $15. There will be stalls to purchase alcohol but BYO will not be permitted.
Woollahra Greens Councillor David Shoebridge voted against the move. He said charging families to gain access to a public park was wrong and that many could not afford it.
“I heard in the council debate the argument that it’s only $60 for a family or that it’s only $25 for a ticket. Well, for plenty of families across Sydney, that’s the sort of price that means that they don’t get to go to the event,” Cr Shoebridge said.
A ballot system would see a fair distribution of tickets, he said. “If they insist on having this event [with tickets], then the appropriate way of distributing tickets is not to those who could afford to pay, but a ballot open to all. It’s a prime public asset and it ought not be limited only to those with the capacity to pay.”
Most Woollahra residents he had spoken to were against the idea and wanted their municipality open to all visitors, he added.
“People are, not unreasonably, offended at the concept of paying to go to their free public park and that doesn’t matter where you’re living in Sydney,” said Cr Shoebridge.
Most astonishing for the Greens councillor is that the new proposal was justified off the back of last year’s NYE celebrations, despite not a single arrest being made by Rose Bay Police. “But I have heard from residents that there was genuine anti-social behaviour, so there is a role for Council in stepping in and trying to make it a more of a family-friendly night.”
Regardless, he said, Council had not properly considered all its options. “The other option that the council could adopt is what’s been successfully used at North Sydney, which is that you set up alcohol-free zones, you put up security fencing, and you have a relatively modest number of security guards to enforce the no-alcohol zone at the point of entrance.”
According to Woollahra Municipal Council the event will be cost-neutral, costing around $250,000 to put on, with an expected $210,000 in revenue from ticket sales.
by Ehssan Veiszadeh
