With no sky show last year, Kiama Council is already making plans to ensure the next event is a success. Photo: Kiama Municipal Council.
Kiama Council is exploring whether fireworks or celebrations across the community are the best way to mark New Year’s Eve, after the cancellation of festivities last year left many disappointed.
Petitions and surveys have prompted calls for change after council’s decision not to host the annual fireworks impacted on businesses and morale.
Now council is exploring how best to approach the event to ensure it meets the community’s expectations without breaking the budget.
“I want to be clear that I’m not against New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Eve fireworks, what I question is spending funds council does not have on traffic management if there can be a better solution,” Councillor Erica Warren said.
“As a resident of Jamberoo who grew up in Kiama, I see an opportunity for a municipality-wide celebration, from breakfast through to midnight, activating multiple areas, not just focusing on one location.”
Cr Warren put forward a motion to the latest meeting proposing that a business case be prepared as part of the upcoming operational plan and budget to explore the opportunities for celebrations, including a review of resident, business and visitor feedback, possible locations and attractions, council’s role and a cost benefit analysis.
“Planning for the future requires strong collaboration and communication with our community, ensuring locals can enjoy the day and night and visitors feel welcomed,” she said.
“We can continue as we have or we can think bigger and build on the great work that has already been done.
“I don’t know what the answer is, I just think we should be talking to the community about it.”
The annual event costs council in excess of $90,000 with majority not spent on fireworks but rather the traffic management, toilets and logistics involved in putting on an event of this scale.
Councillor Stuart Larkins added an amendment to improve the longevity of the event by designing three- or five-year recurring programs for funding to assist with applications for grant funding and provide better financial security.
“We can’t keep going through a process each and every year of having to battle or go to a fight in a council budget workshop or on the floor of council on new year’s, we actually need to have a plan in place for the financial security of a new year’s event,” he said.
“Whether the following year we are able to apply and successfully get a grant application from the state or the federal government is something that can be explored through developing that recurring New Year’s Eve program.
“I think there is a broader conversation about the cost to ratepayers and the benefit that they receive from this event.”
Another point was added to note a resolution made earlier in the meeting in regards to the Tourism and Economic Advisory Committee’s recommendation for council to allocate funds and seek sponsorship for the sky show in the upcoming budget.
Councillor Yasmin Tatrai expressed concern about the proposition of spreading out the celebrations.
“It would create operational complexities, the current location’s on the train line so it means everyone can get there, going to Jamberoo and Kiama Downs and Gerringong is great for celebrations but on this one night everyone comes together. It’s in the perfect place, it’s on the harbour, it’s safe,” Cr Tatrai said.
“The safety management and the operational logistics of spreading celebrations over one night and having 20,000 people spread and trying to get them around and keep them safe just doesn’t seem like something that’s going to work for us.”
But Councillor Melissa Matters suggested that there could be a middle ground.
“By us talking about it now, it doesn’t mean that Jamberoo can’t activate in some way during the day, Gerringong can’t activate some way during the day and then everybody comes together for a big celebration at night,” she said.
“I agree that dividing the municipality on that night isn’t ideal but maybe we get our thinking caps on about how to activate the smaller areas of Kiama.”
Councillors voted in favour of the motion.
