Clover Moore says it ‘may not be responsible’ to hold New Year’s Eve fireworks – Sydney Morning Herald

Cr Moore said the end-of-year celebrations would not be held if NSW Health and the police "cant be certain" that the event can be held safely.

"It would be incredibly sad if Sydney New Years Eve cannot go ahead, but that is a real possibility were facing," she said. "The communitys health and safety is paramount and it may not be responsible to encourage large crowds to our foreshore."

An estimated 1 million people flocked to Sydney Harbour last New Years Eve to watch the fireworks display, despite calls for the $6.5 million festivities to be cancelled because of the bushfire crisis.

NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said last week Sydneys New Years Eve celebrations should go ahead after such a putrid 2020.

Perhaps they dont do two sets of fireworks at nine and at midnight, they maybe even do a scaled-down version of the fireworks, he told 2GB radio.

A spokesman for the Department of Premier and Cabinet said event organisers were required to follow any public health orders and health advice current at the time of the event. New Years Eve fireworks and events are a matter for individual councils, he said.

North Sydney Council does not hold events on New Years Eve, but manages crowds that gather on the Sydney Harbour foreshore for the fireworks on Sydney Harbour.

Cr Gibson said she understood the reluctance to cancel the fireworks given it was months away.

We are obviously concerned about how we would deliver the event without becoming the next cluster, she said. If we are to attempt it, we need a decision now.

Bayside Council mayor Joe Awada said last week there would be no New Year's Eve celebrations at Brighton Le Sands.

Loading

"How can you possibly comply with health orders and restrictions with 1.5 metres with 70,000 people? It would be impossible to control," he said.

Marylouise McLaws, professor of epidemiology at the University of NSW, also told 9News the end-of-year celebrations should not go ahead.

Cr Moore said the council was working with the state government to assess the impact of COVID-19 on major events, including Christmas, Sydney New Years Eve and the Sydney Lunar Festival.

These events are subject to the NSW Governments public health orders, which are continuously amended to address the local impact of the pandemic, she said. Ultimately, if NSW Health and police cant be certain that the event can be held safely, it wont go ahead.

Cr Gibson said the fireworks could be staged in a secret location so there are no crowds and we can all stay home to celebrate.

Alternatively, the City could get out all that old footage and give us the best fireworks from the last 20 years, she said.

Andrew Taylor is a Senior Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.

See the original post here:
Clover Moore says it 'may not be responsible' to hold New Year's Eve fireworks - Sydney Morning Herald