CEO Scott Gadd says a decision on the 2020 Royal Hobart Show will be made next week

The Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania has decided to wait a little longer before deciding the fate of this year’s Royal Hobart Show. Find out when they’ll make a call >>

THE Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania (RAST) has delayed a decision on the 2020 Royal Hobart Show, pending the further information on the state’s coronavirus restrictions.

Last month RAST revealed it was considering cancelling this year’s show given uncertainty around social distancing rules.

The show takes place each year in October and attracts tens of thousands of patrons.

RAST had planned to make a decision by June 1, but CEO Scott Gadd said the Society would await the further advice from the government.

“We are going to put it off for another week to see what the Government does,” Mr Gadd said.

The Royal Tasmanian Agricultural Society is waiting for Premier Peter Gutwein to potentially roll back more restrictions before deciding whether to cancel this year’s show. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Last week Premier Peter Gutwein said if Tasmania continued to record low numbers of coronavirus cases, some restrictions on travel and gatherings could be lifted early.

And in a glimmer of hope for large events due to be held later this year, Mr Gutwein urged Hobart City Council not to make a decision to cancel the Taste of Tasmania until further stakeholder engagements were held.

Hobart council staff had recommended the event not go ahead this summer due to uncertainties around large gathering rules coupled with Council’s financial woes.

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RAST has warned the cancellation of this year’s Hobart Show could trigger the collapse of Tasmania’s carnival season, as the event underpinned the state’s other 23 agricultural shows.

RAST has ruled out an Agfest-style virtual event as it would not generate enough income to pay for itself.

Agricultural Shows Australia, the peak body representing royal and country shows across the nation, has called on the Federal Government to invest in a $42.4 million support package to ensure the survival of the events beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.