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World Youth Day: costs up, benefits down
Wednesday, 04 June 2008
Greens MP and youth spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says the Iemma government must rapidly adjust down the planned $129 million expenditure on World Youth Day, with the hotel industry today warning that bookings are well below what was initially forecast because of low pilgrim numbers."The Iemma government owes it to the public to come clean on how many pilgrims have registered, as World Youth Day costs blow out and the expected economic benefits to NSW shrink," Ms Rhiannon said.
"It doesn't make sense that the looming pilgrim drought is being met by an additional $43 million in expenditure announced in yesterday's budget, rather than spending restraint.
"If pilgrim numbers are well below the current organiser's predictions of 125,000 the government may soon have egg on its face.
"It is becoming increasingly apparent that the public has been sold a pup as to the economic benefits of World Youth Day.
"The government should have accurately briefed the hotel industry on the texture of pilgrims' accommodation tastes which perhaps don't run to five star hotel rooms.
"The government's starry eyed view of the riches to be reaped from World Youth Day have not translated into bookings for the hotel industry.
"Today I will ask the government to explain why an additional $4.4 million was allocated to the World Youth Day Co-ordination Authority during 2007/2008.
"The government has tried to slip this through via a budget 'variation' appropriation bill.
"This drip feeding of additional World Youth Day expenditure will not fool the public which is alive to the millions of dollars of taxpayers' money that this event is attracting," Ms Rhiannon said.
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