Gadd pours salt on inequity between family and “celebrity events”

While the Ashes attracts big crowds, family-friendly agricultural shows are being cancelled for a third year due to “rigid” rules which are eased for “celebrity events”.

CONTINUED rigid Covid-19 restrictions are strangling the events industry Tasmania’s agricultural show boss says as family-friendly drawcards start to be cancelled for a third year.

Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania president Scott Gadd said only seven of the State’s 23 regular annual shows went ahead last year and events were being cancelled again due to the state government’s “rigid” and “now irrelevant” Covid-19 restrictions.

“Three weeks into 2022 and one show (Exeter) has already been cancelled while two others (Wynyard and King Island) have been postponed in the hope they can proceed later

in the year,” Mr Gadd said.

Tasmania’s premier rural event – Agfest – has also been deferred as the sector anxiously waits for the rules to be relaxed

“Tasmania was meant to be opening up this year, but continuing tough restrictions by the state government on non-celebrity events make it either too complex or too financially risky to mount many activities,” Mr Gadd said

Scott Gadd CEO of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“In November 2021, the Tasmanian Government said it was too busy to meet with event organisers from all over the state to set a framework for the industry in 2022,” Mr Gadd said.

“Even though the Omicron strain has now become dominant throughout Tasmania, the local events industry remains subject to onerous restrictions imposed back when the strategy was to keep Tasmania virus free.

“Given the widespread prevalence of the virus now, Tasmanian Agricultural Shows acknowledges a loss of confidence in the community about attending many events. The Government must refocus on underwriting event activities, as it indicated it was open to consider in 2021.”

Mr Gadd said the new pandemic landscape was created by the decision to re-open the State in December.

“So it is incumbent on government to consider ways to restore the confidence of the public in attending events, and also reconsider now illogical event-killing restrictions.

“This is the third year of pandemic chaos for Tasmania’s events industry. The pandemic has now reached into every part of the state.

“Infection could occur on any bus, in any cafe, shopping centre, or entertainment venue. While restrictions are eased for major, “celebrity” events, tougher restrictions that severely impact on local events are now irrelevant.”

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