Cancelling NYE fireworks would ‘seriously hurt’ Sydney businesses
Sydney Harbour’s $6.5 million pyrotechnic show will go ahead despite New Year’s Eve fireworks being cancelled around the state due to fire danger, with the City of Sydney saying stopping the event was not an option.
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Sydney Harbour’s $6.5 million pyrotechnic show is set to go ahead despite New Year’s Eve fireworks being cancelled around the state due to horrendous fire conditions.
High-level meetings involving the Department of Premier and Cabinet, City of Sydney Council, Rural Fire Service and NSW Police were held yesterday to discuss how the event will be impacted, with Tuesday shaping up to be a severe fire danger day.
But the City of Sydney today confirmed the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks would go ahead as planned.
“We appreciate the concerns people have around holding the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks while large parts of Australia deal with bushfires and drought,” the City said in a statement.
“And we’ve heard the calls from people to cancel the event and donate the budget to relief efforts.
“But we can’t cancel the New Year’s Eve celebrations. It would have little practical benefit for affected communities. We began preparations and planning for the NYE celebrations 15 months ago. This means most of the budget, largely used for crowd safety and cleaning measures, has already been spent.”
The City said cancelling the event would “seriously hurt Sydney businesses” and ruin plans for tens of thousands of people from across the country and overseas who had booked flights, hotels and restaurants for New Year’s Eve.
The statement follows a severe fire danger forecast for Tuesday, when temperatures are forecast to soar to 35C in the city and 45C in the western suburbs, and gusty northerly winds are expected to shift to southerly late in the day.
An email obtained by The Sunday Telegraph claimed that a decision to cancel in “catastrophic conditions” was made at a meeting of local councils, government and the RFS just before Christmas.
The email, dated December 27, was from Northern Beaches Council.
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“The decision was that the City of Sydney fireworks will go ahead unless there are catastrophic weather conditions,” the internal email to councillors, signed by northern beaches council executive manager of community engagement Kath McKenzie.
“In the situation where catastrophic conditions are declared, Council’s fireworks and all others will be cancelled.
“Staff are currently planning for the emergency shut down of events if weather conditions dictate it.”
It is highly likely a total fire ban will be in place for at least some parts of NSW, including the Sydney metropolitan area, on Tuesday, with fears the forecast wind change will wreak havoc. Fireworks are included in a schedule of standard exemptions for total fire bans but the schedule comes at the discretion of the RFS.
Even if fireworks are included in the total fire ban, individual operators can then apply directly to RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons for a special exemption.
On December 21, when the fire danger was catastrophic, fireworks were banned.
A total fire ban won’t be imposed until tomorrow, delaying a call on any changes to the fireworks program until the last minute.
However, City of Sydney is adamant the fireworks, which generate about $130 million, “are going ahead as planned”.
“If a total fire ban is declared, we will continue to liaise with NSW government agencies and the NSW Rural Fire Service to determine the safest way to proceed with the event,” a spokesman said.
The Sunday Telegraph understands fire trucks will be stationed at headlands and bushland vantage points around the harbour throughout the day.
Around Sydney, other councils are waiting on advice from the RFS. Parramatta Deputy Lord Mayor Michelle Garrard said council would apply for an exemption for its 9pm fireworks display if there was a total fire ban.
Penrith Panthers has been holding 9pm and midnight fireworks for at least 20 years but duty manager Matt Blattman said “it’s possible that they will be cancelled”. Some regional communities have already cancelled fireworks, including Armidale, Huskisson, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Port Macquarie, Berry and Tweed Heads.
Many organisations are instead donating the money to bushfire and drought charities.
Northern Beaches Council oversees fireworks at Bayview, Manly and Dee Why Beach, while Wollongong fireworks are still on, pending advice from the RFS.
Originally published as Cancelling NYE fireworks would ‘seriously hurt’ Sydney businesses
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