The future of the Sunshine Coast’s main New Year’s Eve celebration has sparked an hour-long council debate, with one councillor raising concerns the local government body could be branded an “enemy of joy”.
Mooloolaba is set to host the 8.30pm and midnight fireworks again this year, with councillors endorsing the event during Thursday’s ordinary meeting.
However, the council stopped short of officially committing to the celebration beyond 2026.
The decision followed a lengthy discussion about the value of the popular celebration, council’s financial responsibilities and how New Year’s Eve events should be supported across the region.
An amendment moved by Cr Taylor Bunnag and seconded by Cr Tim Burns removed the word “ongoing” from the original recommendation, which sought to endorse the continued delivery of both fireworks displays.
The amendment passed six votes to five, before the revised motion was adopted with only Cr Terry Landsberg opposed.
Cr Landsberg strongly opposed removing the ongoing commitment, referring to the public backlash that followed the cancellation of the midnight fireworks in 2024.
The decision attracted widespread criticism from residents, businesses and tourism groups.
The midnight fireworks returned in 2025, but their reinstatement was initially conditional on securing an additional $133,000 through commercial partnerships.
“To me it goes back to obviously the previous year and news articles where we were painted as a nanny state, an enemy of joy,” Cr Landsberg said.
He also said he feared the amendment could create further uncertainty about future midnight celebrations.
“My concern is, are we going down a slippery slope of starting to go through and reviewing community events, our civic duty to deliver community events?
“We will have midnight fireworks no doubt about it, but the community will question what’s the process of ongoing midnight fireworks.”
The debate followed a council report recommending a more sustainable model for the Mooloolaba celebration, allowing fireworks displays to be delivered within the existing $375,000 budget allocation.
The model focuses council spending on fireworks, public safety, traffic and crowd management, emergency services, amenities and operations rather than council-funded entertainment.
The midnight fireworks will no longer be dependent on securing external sponsorship.
The adopted motion also authorises council CEO John Baker to seek sponsorship and other external funding contributions to offset the cost of the midnight fireworks, with additional funding potentially supporting services such as public transport.
Cr Joe Natoli, who moved the original motion, noted the event’s importance to the region.
He reflected on the problems associated with uncontrolled New Year’s Eve celebrations decades ago and the work undertaken with police, community organisations and other stakeholders to establish a family-friendly event.
He said the celebration, which had a history stretching back “about 30 years”, was valued by the community and had positive flow-on effects for local businesses.
“It is the one day we should be allowing our community to come together and celebrate together and understand what our region is and I think our event does that,” he said.
Cr Bunnag, however, said supporting the fireworks in 2026 did not require councillors to commit to the event indefinitely.
“There is nothing that’s proposed in this amendment that changes the outcome of us being able to deliver fireworks at midnight in Mooloolaba in 2026,” he said.
He said councillors should not commit to delivering an event beyond 2026 when funding had not yet been allocated for future years.
Cr Bunnag also said, given the council’s financial position, it was important to maintain a rigorous approach to spending and consider future commitments as part of the annual budget process.
While Cr Bunnag acknowledged the event’s benefits, he also questioned why Mooloolaba should receive an ongoing commitment when community-led New Year’s Eve celebrations at Coolum and Caloundra were considered through annual funding processes.
He said the council should consider the three celebrations as part of a broader regional festive program rather than make a permanent commitment to one location.
Cr David Law supported the amendment, arguing it would allow council to review the event and adapt its delivery in future years rather than provide an indefinite commitment.
Mayor Rosanna Natoli opposed the change, saying council already had an annual budget process to determine how events would be funded.
She said requiring further decisions through ordinary meetings would duplicate that process and take up additional council resources.
The mayor also emphasised the event’s contribution to tourism and the local economy, describing the midnight fireworks as a “cultural institution”.
She warned the amendment would create uncertainty for businesses, visitors and residents.
Council CEO John Baker confirmed councillors would retain the power to review the event in future years, even if the original recommendation for ongoing delivery had been adopted.
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Following the debate, councillors endorsed the amended recommendation for the two Mooloolaba fireworks displays to proceed on December 31.
Both will be launched from an offshore barge, with viewing opportunities extending along the coastline from Maroochydore Beach to Point Cartwright.
Under the amended resolution, the council will receive a report in February 2027 outlining the delivery and outcomes of the 2026 Mooloolaba event, including any external funding secured.
