V8 Car Race - Not Petrol Fumes But A Whiff Of Bruce Stadium

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism

Media Statement - 9 August 2001

The V8 car race is developing as another example of the Bruce Stadium fiasco Labor Shadow Tourism Minister Wayne Berry said today.

Mr Berry's comment follows the release today of the attendance figures for the June long weekend motoring event.

"Labor supported extra funding for this event on the basis of the promises of the Liberals which have now been shown to be shallow. Nobody is more disappointed than us that the event is coming apart slowly," Mr Berry said.

"First we were confronted with the blow out in costs of $1.5 million per year and an extra $4.5 million is programmed for expenditure on the event.

"Then we discovered the payment to the organisers of an undisclosed amount from the $1.4 million administration expenses attached to the event. The Government insists that it cannot disclose the amount - that the payment is somewhere between $0 and $1.4 million is the best that can be discovered.

"The dramatic downturn in patronage in the second year threatens the future of the event. One-day ticket sales fell from 46182 to 26977 because of the fall in patronage resulting from the well-understood novelty factor in the first year.

"The revenue from this event has been wildly overestimated because of the Government's failure to anticipate the expected fall in patronage and it is developing into another Bruce Stadium fiasco. With an operating loss of $1.45 million and no extra funding inputs, the 5th year of the event is at risk.

"CTEC says it doesn't need any more funds - well where will the money come from! How many people from CTEC will lose their jobs to find the extra funds and what other areas of CTEC's operation are at risk? Is the Floriade funding secure?

"Clearly the 5th year of the event is at risk with the operating loss $1.45 million building in the future, which begs the question of the penalties for discontinuing the contract," Mr Berry concluded.