Kingborough Council balloon ban labelled ‘fun killer’ by councillor

A Tasmanian councillor has labelled a ban on balloons at public events a “fun killer” amid concerns about their impact on the environment.

A BAN on balloons at public events has been labelled a “fun killer” by a Kingborough councillor amid concerns about their impact on the environment.

Public event holders will no longer sell or distribute single-use plastic products and sachets after Kingborough Council passed the Waste Wise Events policy with five votes in favour and three against at their May 18 meeting.

During the Facebook live-streamed discussion, Councillor Christian Street said he would reconsider his vote against the motion if balloons were not included in the list of plastic products.

“I appreciate that it’s an aspirational [motion], but it is also a fun killer,” he said.

He said banning balloons was “one of the sadder things that this council has ever done”.

Sustainable Living Kingborough spokeswoman Clare Corrigan said she was shocked by Cr Street’s comments.

Clare Corrigan from Sustainable Living Kingborough and 5-year-old daughter Priya hold fabric bunting. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

“That just shows how out of touch Cr Street is with the community’s views,” Ms Corrigan said.

“Last year we had a delightful birthday party for my five-year-old daughter without the use of single-use plastic-like balloons.

“We used fabric bunting and flowers for beautiful earth-friendly decorations and there definitely was no ‘fun-killing’.”

University of Tasmania researchers found balloons were the highest-risk plastic debris item for seabird deaths.

The study of 1733 seabirds from 51 species revealed balloons were 32 times more likely to kill birds than hard plastics.

Cr Street told the Mercury his comments were “thrown out of proportion”.

He expressed concern over the policy’s “low compliance issues”.

“I’m as passionate about keeping water ways clean as anyone, but I’m also practical,” he said.

“I’m not sure the very low benefit of banning balloons and the effect that has on the general fun that can be had is worth an outright ban.”

He said he encourages people using balloons to bin them responsibly after use.

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Cr Street’s initial comments were met with retorts at Monday’s meeting from Councillors Gideon Cordover and Steve Wass, with Cr Cordover saying the decision was “sensible”.

“It’s really important that we are responsible stewards of our environment,” he said.

“Basically everybody I speak to about this issue is enthusiastic about it.”

Cr Wass said a radio station previously attempting to “take the mickey” out of the council’s stance by bringing balloons to a public event was “inundated” with locals supporting the ban.