Plea for bailout as Sydney Royal Easter Show cancelled

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW is appealing for assistance after it was forced to cancel the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Scott Morrison with his wife Jenny with showgoers at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney in 2019. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW is appealing for government assistance after it was forced to cancel its showpiece event — the Sydney Royal Easter Show — as authorities escalate measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

RAS chief Brock Gilmour said the decision to axe this year’s show, scheduled to open on April 3, was “the hardest day of my life” and that it would cost the society more than $10m.

“It will require the government to assist us financially to move forward. If they don’t, we will do our best to trade out of this situation,” he said. “Over the past four or five years, we’ve built up a reserve.

“It was built up to compensate for poor weather, it was never ­considered for a virus, but I will ­require some assistance from the government.”

The show was expected to ­attract about 900,000 people across 12 days and inject millions of dollars into the state’s economy.

It is the second time in the show’s history, which spans ­almost two centuries, that it has been abandoned because of a pandemic. It was cancelled in 1919 because of the Spanish flu.

Its cancellation on Friday came after Scott Morrison said non-­essential gatherings of more than 500 people should not proceed from Monday.

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russel Zimmerman said the Easter Show was one of the strongest trading periods of the year and its cancellation would come as a massive hit to the retail sector.

“When the show is held, people use transport, they go in and they buy bits and pieces from the 7-Elevens of this world and other retailers, and obviously they’re not going to go to the show and they won’t be doing that,” he said.

Tourism Accommodation Australia chief Michael Johnson said the show was a major drawcard, with 20 per cent of visitors coming from regional NSW and 4 per cent from interstate.

 “It’s another major blow to an industry that’s still reeling from bushfires and international travel bans,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realise the Royal Easter Show has so many intrastate and interstate visitors that fill the ­hotels around Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta.”

Regional shows across Australia are also likely to be postponed or cancelled.

The East Gippsland Field Days, scheduled for April 17 and 18, in Bairnsdale, on the fringe of Victoria’s fire-ravaged east, are expected to be cancelled for the second time in its history.

Shire mayor John White said it was disappointing for a community already reeling from bushfires.

Warwick Show, in southeast Queensland, which was scheduled for next weekend, has also been cancelled.

Southern Downs Regional Council mayor Tracy Dobie has already committed to easing the ­financial burden suffered by the local Warwick Rodeo and Show Society.

“Council will work to help them get through this and keep what they’ve invested,” she said.