Don’t give up on a major carols event

There is a way we can still have our traditional celebration, says Elise Archer

IT is admirable that Hobart alderman Bill Harvey has attempted to explain Hobart City Council’s decision to axe the longstanding Carols event previously held at St Davids Park and more recently at other large outdoor venues (Talking Point, September 1).

However, it begs the question, why didn’t council consult with its ratepayers and interested parties such as sponsors before they made the decision to change the event to smaller community events? Don’t get me wrong, thank goodness for the community groups that have stepped in to answer the grants process (we are told the funding totals $55,000) to deliver local smaller events, otherwise we would have no carols in the City of Hobart at all.

I get the fact council wishes to reduce expenditure to $55,000. This is why I called for a discussion with business and entertainment communities to see what financial and in-kind assistance or support they could provide. For some reason our council thinks it must spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for people to have good old-fashioned fun.

Hobart doesn’t need Hollywood glitz and glamour, nor do we need to import talent. We have superb Tasmanian entertainers and performers and a wonderful giving business community who regularly support community events and charities.

What I have heard from the community is that they are dismayed they were not consulted first. Alderman Harvey confirms all council did was listen to feedback after last year’s event. He says: “People told us to make the city’s carols more traditional, more reflective of the community and less commercial in style.”

Why not keep a large event that has all of that? I am sure the wonderful community groups who have answered the call in our local suburbs would have been delighted to come together to take part in a traditional carols city event.

Which again brings me to my commonsense solution I proposed to Hobart City Council on August 24 by letter to the Lord Mayor (which I emailed to all aldermen) offering to facilitate a meeting between the council and the Hobart business community to discuss options for retaining the St Davids Park event. I did this because I know there is a lot of goodwill in the business and broader community for this event and I had hoped the council would accept my offer.

I did this not to make a political statement nor did it attack council. As a former Hobart alderman and now local Member for Denison, I knew the event was far too important to the community to lose. I hoped we could work together so this truly special event has a long-term future.

Unfortunately, I received a letter within a matter of hours basically advising me I didn’t understand their new grants process, offering me a briefing and that council “engages regularly” with its more than 5500 businesses.

I do wish to thank one alderman for responding positively, however, but apparently they had not received the letter which I can only assume was on behalf of council.

For the record, I knew about the grants and, as a former alderman, I don’t need a briefing to be told the horse has already bolted.

The Christmas Carols event is a time when the community celebrates together regardless of their beliefs. Many families enjoy the entertainment even if the more traditional carols bear no meaning for them. To those of us who do celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, it perhaps has an even greater significance. Therefore, I urge the council to consider involving community groups who deliver the suburban events this year for a larger event next year — and bring on board those 5500 business by consulting them on their wishes.

For a capital city to not have a major central carols event is, to say the least, a shame. I do hope the council can be big enough to admit they have got this wrong.

I encourage everyone, including businesses and entertainers, to let the council know what you think and express an interest in taking part or providing assistance for next year. Good luck to our community and church groups putting on their smaller events this year — I look forward to attending as many as possible. Elise Archer is Speaker of the House of Assembly, Liberal Denison MP and a former Hobart alderman.