OUT of TUNE

From Christmas tree to carols, council accused of losing touch

THE Hobart City Council was first derided for its artificial Christmas tree in Salamanca Square. Now aldermen are being accused of ruining carols by candlelight with its new format. Premier Will Hodgman and Labor’s Madeleine Ogilvie have attacked the council for opting out of a major outdoor carols by candlelight this year. “I think we have lost our way a bit,’’ said Mr Hodgman, left. Ms Ogilvie said: “When coupled with the controversy over the Christmas tree, people are asking how is it possible that this council continues to get Christmas so wrong’’.

THE Premier and a Labor MP have called on the Hobart City Council to get its act together on the city’s Christmas carol events.

The council has opted out of a major outdoor carols by candlelight event this year in favour of smaller events, with grants worth $46,000 to help run smaller carols around Hobart in December.

ExitLeft Productions will instead host Hobart’s longstanding carols event at St David’s Cathedral, without council assistance, with a series of smaller concerts on December 9-10. The church has a capacity of 650.

In an interview on the Tasmania Talks radio program yesterday, Premier Will Hodgman said it was disappointing Hobart would not put on a major community Christmas event this year.

“It’s a pity. I grew up like most people going to Carols by Candlelight and I think we have lost our way a bit as a community,” he said.

“The Hobart City Council needs to get its act together and provide good events like this. I think they bind communities and bring us together.

“Rather than worrying about things that divide us let’s look at something that can and should bring us together over the festive season.”

Labor Denison MP Madeleine Ogilvie has also labelled the decision “extremely disappointing”.

“It beggars belief that the council’s solution to people missing out on the event is to make it smaller,” Ms Ogilvie said.

“When coupled with the controversy over the Christ- mas tree, people are asking how is it possible that this council continues to get Christmas so wrong.

“Our much-loved Christmas carols are a tradition that so many generations of kids have loved. Families look forward to the event every year.”

But Hobart Mayor Sue Hickey said the cost was too great and called on Mr Hodgman’s government to pledge $100,000 if he wanted a major carols event. Last year’s carols at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens cost the council $80,000 to $90,000.

Alderman Hickey said there were hiccups last year and as a result the council decided not to pursue its partnership with ExitLeft.

“A lot of other councils don’t run carols or they might give a small donation of $10$20,000 to a local group,” she said. “Only the Hobart ratepayers have been paying for it [the carols].”

Ald Hickey said this year’s event would be reviewed based on its success.

“I think if this model does work well, we’ll probably stick with it,” she said.

A survey by the Mercury yesterday drew about 850 respondents by 10pm with more than 90 per cent supporting the traditional outdoor event.