Weeks of Speed fee waiver request splits hairs in council debate

Volunteer organisers, the Tamworth Drag Racing Association and Gunnedah Motoring Enthusiasts Car Club, submitted a fee waiver application of 50 per cent to council, which would reduce hire fees for facilities, including the town hall, the showgrounds, and Wolseley Park.

The Gunnedah airport would not be included in the fee waiver.

"If the facility is being utilised for private purposes for the day, it will cut into council income," a council spokesperson said at last week's meeting.

As part of the discussion over the fee waiver, organisers asked council to help cover the cost of closing the main street for the Community Street Parade on Saturday, March 2.

Tamworth Drag Racing Association president Bill Ausling said the fee waiver would enable them to operate their other competitions throughout the year.

"It will allow us to run all of our events with this waiver," he said at the meeting.

"We could have low competitor numbers due to weather or financial difficulties due to everything getting tighter and tighter, but it will allow us to run future events, or break even at our very worst."

The festival has been a long-running event in Gunnedah, held annually for more than 26 years.

Mr Ausling told council of the economic benefits the event brings to the town.

"I know on average we fill between two or three motels, and the overflow goes onto the caravan park and onto the showgrounds," he said.

Gunnedah Motoring Enthusiasts Car Club secretary Geoff Hood said when the council granted a 50 per cent fee waiver for the Country Music Muster held in January, it set a precedent for other events.

Cr Robert Hoddle said they have been quite generous and provided the organisers of the Weeks of Speed "a fair cut" already.

"The seven and a half thousand dollars of support and the street closures [which council already provides to the event] are a lot to the organisation," he said.

"If we give concessions to a group like this, then every other group will want the same. By giving the concession at the showground, every other group will be in here wanting a concession. Where does it end?"

Cr Kate McGrath proposed an amendment that the motorsport committee should submit a report to council by its July meeting to "outline the event attendance and the estimated economic impact" of the event.

"It is fairly straightforward that the economic benefits of the event dramatically outweigh the additional costs that the council incurs," she said.

The councillors went back and forth on the wording of the proposed amendment.

Cr Murray O'Keefe told the meeting it is not about "picking winners".

Ultimately, after much 'hair-splitting' debate, the amendment was approved and the fee waiver for the 2024 Weeks of Speed given the green light.