The Griffith Sikh Games features wrestling on the field and a lot of jostling for parking spots. Photo: Aulakh Pictures.
Griffith Council will spend around $50,000 on parking enforcement during the Sikh Games, the annual sporting and cultural event expected to inject about $5 million into the local economy.
The local Punjabi community’s Gurdwara Singh Sabha Society organises the games at Ted Scobie Oval and Griffith Regional Sports Centre over the June long weekend, providing free food and hosting sports and entertainment for an estimated 20,000 visitors.
At a recent council meeting, Griffith councillors approved a $10,000 cash grant to support the event, along with about $58,000 in-kind support, including waived venue hire fees, traffic management and parking enforcement.
In previous years, nearby residents have complained about visitors parking on nature strips and blocking driveways during the busy weekend.
Council will employ four officers across the Saturday and Sunday to monitor parking and issue fines where required.
Councillor Scott Groat questioned the cost.
“$50,000 for four parking officers is a massive cost for the community when in 2023 it was $24,000,” he said.
He noted that only two parking officers were previously employed and asked whether council could return to that arrangement.
Mayor Doug Curran said council had received feedback that two officers were not enough to manage the crowds and traffic.
“We have a responsibility to our community to ensure public safety,” he said.
The Sikh Games attract thousands of visitors to Griffith. Photo: Denny Fachin/What’s On Griffith – Facebook.
Cr Curran added that he was among many people fined for illegal parking during last year’s event.
Councillor Anne Napoli suggested council should consider an alternative venue for future Sikh Games that would cause less disruption to nearby residents, such as Dalton Park.
“There’s nowhere else in Griffith that could house 25,000,” Cr Curran replied.
The flagship event of the Sikh Games is kabaddi, a fast-paced type of wrestling which attracts professional teams from across Australia and New Zealand.
Former NRL player Bryan Fletcher once described it as the Indian version of rugby league. He once travelled to Griffith to take part in the Sikh Games alongside fellow rugby league great Nathan Hindmarsh for a segment on The Matty Johns Show.
Cr Shari Blumer said kabaddi was one of the highlights of the weekend.
“It’s a great opportunity for all sorts of people to come together and celebrate a wild and fascinating sport and one of great endurance and strength. It’s great to be exposed to different activities from all over the world and it brings a lot of economic value to the community; in their paper it says it brings $5 million,” she said.
Beyond the sport, the Sikh Games have become one of Griffith’s biggest cultural weekends, drawing visitors from across Australia and overseas. The event typically features traditional Punjabi music and dance, turban-tying competitions, Gatka martial arts displays, community parades and large-scale volunteer-run kitchens serving free meals throughout the weekend.
All accommodation within 200 km is generally booked out for the entire long weekend. Many Griffith residents attend even if they are not involved in the sporting competitions, with the weekend widely regarded as one of the city’s most colourful and inclusive annual events.
