Sydney NYE Fireworks. Yes or No. Discuss

[sharpiel]

Title says it all...

[DeWynter (ILYA)]

Why such question?
Yes, of course. NYE fireworks is a major part of tourist industry and brings huge amount of money to Australian economy.

[Bobbyoutback]

no

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Yes, the amount of money it brings in outwieghs the cost 5-10 fold, some of the taxes gained can then be pumped back into the economy and assist the fire victims and firefighters

[Wavytone]

Though I find them rather boring .. pretty much the same formula every year.

[glend (Glen)]

No, not this year. The country is in the midst of a fire emergency, much suffering is occurring. It is simply arrogance on the part of Sydney City Council to ignore the rest of the country, but typical. Tourism? The people will stay away in droves except for the usual pissheads, locals won't turn out, maybe the Chinese tourist will show. It is simply disrespectful.

[AndyG (Andy)]

Whilst I'm undecided on this matter, it's perhaps worth noting that our Townsville Council did cancel NYE fireworks on account of the Indian Ocean Tsunami a few years ago.

News report

[Peter Ward]

Yes!!!!!!!!

Life goes on.

I don't subscribe to thew wowser theory they are boring....far from it. Millions of people, either present on the harbor and across the world (courtesy a news feed) get great joy from them....and hopefully will do for many more orbits around Sol.

[Outcast (Carlton)]

I have mixed feelings about it.... part of me can see it as an extravagance & a bit of an insult in current circumstance but, part of me can see the financial benefits too...

Interestingly, in the news today was the fact that it's already been paid for so, the money is spent whether they go ahead or not... & pretty sure it won't be refundable... so, since they got the go ahead from RFS, I spose they might as well get on with it rather than just wasting what they have already spent..

Might be worth considering that factor when you judge...

My 2.5 cents... FWIW

[Andy01 (Andy)]

Don’t live in Sydney, don’t care really...
but seems a tad insensitive considering what’s going on in the rest of Australia....

[N1 (Mirko)]

Foti Bros might consider making a donation...

[Allan_L (Allan)]

I agree with Glend.
But typically the dollar outweighs the common sense of what is right.

[PeterM]

Yes.
If RFS ok then no issue.

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

In Europe in a number of cities light, laser and multimedia shows replaced the classic New Year's Eve fireworks some years ago.

[sn1987a (Barry)]

If you've seen one fireworks you've seen them all.

As a rate payer I prefer my rates (increasing by more than inflation every year by the way) spent on services and those businesses that benefit from tourists can dig into their own pockets and pay for the fireworks.

And while we're at it maybe some of those parasitic corporations that pay zero taxes by accounting trickery whilst emitting massive amounts of greenhouse gasses could chip in more for firefighter services seeing as they're partly responsible.

[skysurfer]

I would say no, even while I don't live in Sydney or Australia at all.
The Sydney fireworks are the best of the world, even surpassing Dubai on the Burj Khalifa, and I like such fireworks displays very well.


But in this case, with all the wildfires in NSW, drought, fire danger, total fire ban and firemen are working in arduous circumstances, I would say, no. And sydney is close to the largest fires. Moreover the smoke and haze will degrade the visibility of the event.

And then the Sydney council says "it will yield $132 million", just tells that only money prevails.



Other cities in NSW (e,g, Parramatta) did cancel the event.


It is a spectacular event already being prepared every year the past 20 years by the Italian Foti company, but the million dollar setup can be postponed to NYE 2021.


https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-...09-p53ibb.html


I voted the 'for / against' poll in the SMH and 61% was for proceeding and 39% against.

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

No, if you want to see fireworks take a trip to the Gippsland region and don a yellow jacket....

[Rainmaker (Matt)]

Originally Posted by PeterM

Yes.
If RFS ok then no issue.

I’m sure that there was no pressure on the RFS from the premier’s dept....

[sheeny (Al)]

Yes.


The Sydney NYE Fireworks bring in roughly 4 to 5 times their cost in tourism dollars. It is good value for money, however, the government makes this expenditure so that the businesses in and around Sydney can take the profit and the economy is supported.


So the government doesn't get the the direct payback which is what those who take the simplistic view think (though most probably don't think it makes any money at all).


I live in regional Australia under the full impact of the drought and fires. I agree the regional fireworks displays should be cancelled this year. I don't know the financial payback figures for these displays but I suspect they are for locals more than tourists and there's little if any pay back, and the conditions are simply unsuitable for a safe display. Dubbo is still having a fireworks display ATM but all other regional displays are cancelled that I know of. Which IMO is appropriate.


Al.

[sharpiel]

I see no reason for them at all anymore even without a bushfire crisis. Have seen no reason for them for many years. I don’t like the wildlife impact.

The government sees a positive return on financial investment. I’m sure this could be earned in other ways. Or the $100 odd million could be easily saved through making state government more efficient. They must waste this amount many times over annually.

There must be another way to bring tourists to Sydney for NYE.