Wagga Show Society blindsided by city council's proposed rates change

Wagga Wagga City Council has voted unanimously to delay consideration of whether Wagga Show Society is still eligible for a 50 per cent property rate rebate.

City councillors have voted in favour of further consultation between the council and the show society on how to best move forward and ensure that ratepayers benefit from the arrangement.

Wagga Show Society president Robert Hamilton addressed the city councillors on Monday night (5 September), speaking against the plan to remove the rate cut.

He says he was blindsided by the recommendation.

“To our surprise, we found out that our request was before council today because Channel Seven News rang us and asked us for a comment,” Mr Hamilton said.

The show society wrote to the council in 2020 to request annual financial assistance of 50 per cent property rates subsidy but Mr Hamilton said they had to follow up with the council many times to ask what was happening.

“I wonder over two years, why council staff would put this before council on the busiest week of the year for the show society?” he asked.

“The communication and consultation between the council and the show society has been non-existent.”

Mr Hamilton said he believed that organisations receiving such financial assistance would be notified of the change of process by the council, but the show society never received any notification.

The president said the showground was a community-run asset maintained predominantly by volunteers and the rebate was widely beneficial for the community as multiple groups and societies could use and base themselves on the site.

These include Amie St Clair Melanoma Foundation, Wagga Poultry Club, Multicultural Council, Vinnies, several Rotary clubs and two soccer clubs.

“When there’s a disaster or an emergency – such as in bushfires, or more recently the flood – the showground is there helping the community in the time of need,” Mr Hamilton said.

“The showground also stepped up and took on the Murrumbidgee Health drive-through testing centre.”

Councillor Michael Henderson addressed the council in favour of the show society.

“I believe they are an important asset to the Wagga community and surrounds,” Cr Henderson said.

“The sporting and service groups that use the facility at nil or reduced costs, when an emergency event arises in the LGA, they (Wagga Show Society) are at the forefront in supplying facilities to accommodate those in need.

“I realise that if we approve the rebate, it will gradually reduce funds for the rest of the financial year – so that’s got to be taken into account also.

“But I would be very disappointed if it was totally removed … and we need to take more time and really observe what they do for our community in the long run.”

Cr Richard Foley supported Cr Henderson’s motion and said: “It will be good for all the parties to sit down, press the reset button on how we can move forward and get a better outcome.”

Cr Dan Hayes acknowledged: “It’s always hard to remove a subsidy … especially one that was 100 per cent for decades and that has been 50 per cent for almost 20 years.”

Cr Hayes said it was not a judgement on the show society, but he understood those involved would see it as one as he believed rates wavers did not guarantee an ongoing benefit for the community.

He also pointed out that there had already been a significant amount of support provided, but it had not been acknowledged.

When Region asked whether the timing was relevant to put the matter across to the council a week before show weekend, Cr Hayes said his understanding was that what gets presented to the council is based on when work is ready to be presented.

“It is not delayed or accelerated because of external events. So whether the show was on this week or not, my understanding is that it wasn’t relevant to the report being presented tonight,” Cr Hayes said.

“I understand it wasn’t their preferred time, but it’s just an internal process.”

However, Cr Hayes was disappointed the show society had not been informed of its matter being presented at the council.

He said they should be made aware when a particular group is impacted.

“But it does get put out on public notice, but I understand not everyone will go read the papers. That’s an easy fix to do in the future.”