Onkaparinga Council cancels $30k TDU marquee event at McLaren Vale winery

Onkaparinga Council has backed out of hosting a $30,000 corporate “schmoozing” event during the Tour Down Under in a bid to “stop extravagant spending”.

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A $30,000 corporate “schmoozing” event during the Tour Down Under has been cancelled by Onkaparinga Council.

The new council has backed out of hosting a corporate marquee reception for 160 people at McLaren Vale’s Penny’s Hill Wines to celebrate the final stage of the cycling race — which will finish in Willunga Hill for the first time in the event’s 20 year run.

The final 151.5km sector starts in McLaren Vale and goes through Snapper Point and Aldinga Beach before finishing at the hill on January 20.

Southern Vales ward councillor Wayne Olsen announced on Facebook last night that the decision to host the celebration had been overturned by the council.

“The newly elected members have voted to save $30,000 by overturning a decision of the previous council by cancelling the $180/head corporate marquee at this year’s Tour Down Under this month,” Cr Olsen posted.

Onkaparinga councillor Wayne Olsen. Picture:AAP/ Keryn Stevens.

He told the Southern Times that the decision to cancel the event showed the new council was listening to the community who asked it “stop extravagant spending” during the local government elections in November.

“Instead of a select few benefiting, an event where everyone could benefit would be a far greater use of the money,” he said.

A council spokeswoman said the money could be diverted to other programs.

“We have identified several other initiatives and opportunities for the new council to engage and meet with key businesses and contacts across our city such as the ON Business partner program and the development of our Ambassador program,” she said.

The controversial decision to host the event — which was condemned by former councillor Don Chapman as a “waste of money” — was made back in October.

Onkaparinga chief executive Mark Dowd said at the time that a corporate marquee event would offer local business networking opportunities, resulting in regional “economic benefit”.

“Schmoozing is a word that I guess we could use, but that is what it is about — trying to explain to businesses, residents and media alike that we invested in tourism,” Mr Dowd said.

Tour Down Under (TDU) 2019 Stage 6.

The Kitchen Door at Penny’s Hill chef Tom Boden, who was catering the event, said he was told the event would not go ahead the week before Christmas.

He said the cancellation was “tough” for him because it was left “too late” to rebook the space.

“We are all ratepayers and I understand there was conflict of opinion about the council having something here but traditionally there has always been a tent in that space for the Tour Down Under — it’s a great site — and it would have been great to have them regardless of people looking at it in a controversial manner.

“As a small business it is great to have revenue reinjected into the local area.”