Rabbitohs deal creates discussion

COFFS Harbour City Council's decision to have the Rabbitohs in town for another two years has stirred passions in the community.

Our page three story on Saturday.

COFFS Harbour City Council’s decision to have the Rabbitohs in town for another two years has stirred passions in the community.

Your online comments on our Saturday story questioned the need for the council meeting to go behind closed doors to discuss the deal, and also criticised the spending of more ratepayer funds on South Sydney.

Coffs Harbour mayor Keith Rhoades defended the decision to discuss the matter in-camera and the two-year deal, which starts immediately.

“It was commercial-in-confidence, and that’s what’s got to happen,” Cr Rhoades said.

“They are the rules.

The interests of the other party have to be considered.”

Cr Rhoades said having the Rabbitohs return to Coffs Harbour was good for the community.

“That’s what the council is about. We are about assisting in bringing events and functions to our area that will give an economic benefit to our community,” he said.

“It’s all part of the mix we do.

“We are about being a party to assist the local tourism industry by bringing money into town.”

The council’s corporate business director, Craig Milburn, said the agreement reached with South Sydney was a commercial-in-confidence agreement, the same as other major sponsorships such as the World Rally deal.

“Because they’re commercial-in-confidence agreements that means it’s commercial-in-confidence. It’s not public,” Mr Milburn said.

“We don’t have a choice.”

Originally published as Rabbitohs deal creates discussion