Woman fined $187 for having magician at son’s birthday party without council approval
Burnside Council has fined a woman $187 for hiring a magician to entertain children at her son’s fifth birthday party.
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A Norwood mother has been hit with a $187 fine by Burnside Council for having a magician at her son’s fifth birthday party in Tusmore Park without council permission.
A council spokeswoman said the woman had breached a council bylaw that forbids conducting or holding “any concert, festival, show, public gathering, circus meeting, performance or other similar activity” without council approval.
The mother was issued a $187 unlawful “entertaining” fine by holding a “concert or ... any other public gathering” without permission.
Burnside Council says she ignored a requirement to pay a $165 park hire fee and a $300 bond needed to have entertainment at the party, which was held earlier this month.
The mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, told The Messenger she initially wanted to erect a jumping castle at the park on November 16, from 10am to 11.30am.
She then changed her mind and decided to hire a magician to entertain the 14 invited children.
However, the council said that would still cost $465, and she would be fined if she proceeded with the party without paying.
She said she considered not having a magician but went through with her plans anyway.
“It’s not unusual to have some kind of entertainment for the kids,” she said.
“And I had already sent out the invitations. It’s hard to say to a little child we can’t have a party.”
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She said she ignored advice from friends to not tell the council she was employing a magician and refused to pay the fee because it “seemed like a lot of money” and that it was unfair.
“My honesty is why I have been fined,” she said.
The mother then received the $187 fine from the council after a ranger checked on the party.
She has until December 18 to pay it.
The council’s acting chief executive officer, Barry Cant, said parties at Tusmore Park which include entertainment can cause people to be “excluded from using the park”.
“To obtain this exclusive use, a hire fee is charged,” Mr Cant said.
“A council bylaw ... is in place to ensure fair and equitable use of all public spaces.”