Schoolies’ babysitting cost to Gold Coast ratepayers revealed

Taxpayers and ratepayers will still be footing the bill worth millions of dollars to babysit partying Year 12 students this year.

SCHOOLIES will still cost taxpayers and ratepayers millions of dollars to babysit partying Year 12 students despite more school leavers being adult age.

A report to council reveals there was a significant reduction of Year 12 students graduating from Queensland schools in 2019 due to the Prep Year being introduced in 2006.

Police officers talking to youths during schoolies 2019 Picture: Jerad Williams.

But this year’s numbers are predicted to return to those in previous years leading to councillors supporting continued funding of $430,000 annually at full council yesterday.

“The percentage of schoolies attendees under the age of 18 will shift from the historical 80 per cent to an expected level of approximately 56 per cent, down from 73 per cent in 2019,” the report said.

“Based on the data available, there is no indication that all Year 12 graduates will be 18 years of age at any point in the near future.”

The officers admit the shift in demographics with more school leavers being older than 18 will lead to “new behaviours and new challenges” as the old schoolies can access nightclubs.

Officers recommended the 2020 response continue under the current delivery model until another assessment was made after this year’s event.

Council is to maintain its annual support of $430,000 – about $392,457 in cash and $37,543 in-kind – through to 2022. The Government provides $1.59 million through community services.

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Ratepayers will pay millions of dollars to babysit partying Year 12 students despite more school leavers being adult age. Picture: Jerad Williams.

The council builds on-site infrastructure, provides headquarters management and traffic management, security, Schoolies hub programming, wrist bands, signage, cleaning services, car parking for volunteers, CCTV networks and lifeguard services.

Data obtained from the 2019 event shows 15,539 wristbands were distributed. Of those 83 per cent were legitimate school leavers staying in accommodation as opposed to those from the drive market.

About 93 per cent of attendees lived in Queensland. Broken down further, 27 per cent of those teenagers were from the Coast and 79 per cent lived in southeast Queensland.

Council’s lifestyle and community committee chair Hermann Vorster told the Bulletin: “The complexion of schoolies is changing especially with Queensland now changing the age of its last cohort.

“The committee formed the view that we need a watching brief, and the needs around Schoolies may change but what won’t change is our preparedness to put money and in-kind support on the table.

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The State Government provides $1.59 million in funding for schoolies through community services. AAP Image/Richard Gosling

“At the moment that is $430,000, and it’s capped at $430,000. It could be provided as in-kind support or cash to support the State. But what it is, it’s an investment in the reputation of the city and making sure Schoolies as safe as possible.”

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Cr Vorster said the funding was an acknowledgment the Surfers Paradise precinct, the city’s tourism heart, was largely owned and managed by council.

“So when we have to lift services to deal with thousands and thousands of kids entering the precinct, that counts as in-kind support, and comes out of that $430,000 bill,” he said.