This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Business News Live Business Management & Funding
Western Australian parliament to review tourism grants given to Perth festival
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 28 February 2011
Western Australia’s parliament has said it will investigate grants given by the region’s tourist commission to organisers of the One Movement festival, the Perth-based music event that also includes the Asia Pacific outing of the Musexpo music industry conference.
The region’s Estimates & Financial Operations Committee will review the Western Australia Tourism Commission’s reported $2.95 million investment into the two year old festival. Some opposition politicians in the region have said the festival has delivered a poor return on that investment, and that it sometimes enabled promoters to give away more tickets than they sold.
They also want the Committee to review allegations of conflict of interest relating to the fact that a former Tourism WA exec, involved in securing the festival its government grant, went on to work for its majority stakeholder Sunset Events.
A spokesman for Sunset told The Music Network that the review had been instigated as part of a “political debate” about the work of Tourism WA, and did not reflect on their operations.
But the firm’s MD David Chitty did admit: “We are disappointed that this inquiry is proceeding despite the event having already undergone considerable parliamentary analysis. [Nevertheless] our current focus is on planning the third One Movement For Music event, with local, national and international stakeholders and industry”.
