The Supercars will be back – if Labor wins the next election
Labor leader Peter Malinauskas has signed a memorandum of understanding with Supercars to return the race to the CBD if he wins the election, after flying to Sydney on Monday morning.
SA News
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Labor leader Peter Malinauskas has committed to bringing back the V8 Supercars to Adelaide if his party wins the next election.
Mr Malinauskas said he had signed a memorandum of understanding with Supercars to return the race to the CBD, after flying to Sydney for a meeting on Monday morning.
The next election is due in March 2022, with any prospective future race being 2023 at the earliest.
The State Government made the controversial decision to cut the race last week, citing increasing costs.
This has sparked a backlash from V8 supporters and questions from the hospitality and retail industry over how the void would be filled.
Mr Malinauskas said on Monday: “We are bringing it back if Labor wins, bringing back the Adelaide 500 to the streets of our city.’’
“We are very excited about it and Supercars were very disappointed at how the Marshall Liberal State Government conducted themselves, but we are looking towards a bigger bolder better future for this event.”
The Labor MOU means that market negotiations between the South Australian Tourism Commission would recommence, and is not a guaranteed race return.
Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said: “We are encouraged and grateful for this display of support from the South Australian Labor Party and the wider community that would like to see the Adelaide 500 return in the future.”
Premier Steven Marshall rejected the MOU and said it was “reckless”.
“I am very concerned that Peter Malinauskas is dangerously misinformed about the costs of this race,’’ he said.
Mr Marshall said earlier that the decision to cancel the event had not been made lightly.
“COVID-19 has presented significant challenges for the events sector, and the uncertainty and other factors became an unsurmountable hurdle in the plight to deliver a successful race.
“South Australia sets the benchmark for delivering world-class events, and we will continue to invest in this space to create local jobs.”
The news was met with joy by South Australian Supercar drivers and Brad Jones Racing teammates Nick Percat and Todd Hazelwood, who had been vocal against the government’s decision over the weekend.
“The Labor Party has more of an idea of what South Australia is about, what it stands for and what the race is, which is very encouraging,” Percat said.
“From being involved in the industry and being a proud South Australian, it’s really frustrating to see the SA Tourism Commission can’t even get their facts right in regard to this event,” Hazelwood said.
There was more bad news for tourism on Monday, as Mr Marshall revealed the format of all major events for 2021 with “very large crowds” was now in question.
“I think we are going to have to change all our major events which involve very large crowds,’’ he said.
“WOMAD is working with SA Health at the moment for a modified program.
“But the concept of having tens of thousands of people wandering around the parklands is not going to be a reality for WOMAD.”
Also cancelled for 2021 was the 1000-attendee Generations In Jazz event which was to have been held from 30 April to 2 May.
Australian Hostels Association CEO Ian Horne and Business SA CEO Martin Haese joined forces to call for a rescue package for Adelaide tourism and hospitality in next Tuesday’s State Budget.
The Tour Down Under attracts more than 750,000 spectators each year and the Superloop Adelaide 500 averages 244,000 annually.
Since it started in 1999, more than 5.3 million people have attended V8s in Adelaide.
“There is a high expectation in tourism and hospitality that next week’s budget will have, in addition to the money ‘saved’ by not having the Supercars race, significant extra funding to chase events,’’ Mr Horne said.
Mr Haese said the budget must include a plan to revitalise the capital city’s tourism and hospitality.
“Otherwise the question begs to be asked: “Are we the Festival State or the Hermit State?”