Division 9 Councillor Maria Suarez insisted “I’m not trying to kill the Caloundra Music Festival” as she demanded a complete review of its finances.
The family friendly event which started in 2007 — and is due to kick off next month — had been running at a loss since its inception, Thursday’s council meeting heard.
Cr Suarez questioned the economic value of the annual festival to suburbs outside of Caloundra, and whether it should even be run by the council.
The tourism drawcard is due to come under the microscope when its existing funding cycle ends in 2022-23 and it undergoes a planned review.
A earlier council report from 2019 calculated the festival cost ratepayers more than $675,000 a year for the previous three years. It stated the 2019 event had injected $4.4m into the economy.
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The Sunshine Coast Council runs two regular festivals, the Caloundra Music Festival (CMF) (October 1-3) and Horizon Festival (an arts showcase) that was cancelled this year because of COVID.
However, Cr Suarez has specifically targeted the CMF and has questioned why council was pouring money into it, declaring: “Ratepayers in division 9 are not screaming for the Caloundra Music Festival to go ahead.
“They’re screaming out for other essential services … and that’s why I want a financial review to happen.”
Cr Suarez said she wanted a “full robust financial review” that would be available to the public.
“I’m not trying to kill the Caloundra Music Festival. I’m just trying to get a clear and transparent understanding of how it’s operating and if it’s the correct model,” said Cr Suarez.
She said the music festival was being funded by ratepayers across the Sunshine Coast, but was delivering benefits mostly to Caloundra.
“Yes, I absolutely understand how great a festival it is; I’ve attended a number of times, I’ve danced in puddles in a sudden thunderstorm there, I’ve made many great memories at that festival. Yes, I understand the economic benefits to Caloundra are great,” she said.
“But this is being funded from general rates, and the benefits are going to Caloundra, and ratepayers across the whole of the region are funding this event.
“And that’s why I’m asking these questions about the Caloundra Music Festival because if we are funding this event and the benefits are to be across the broader region, we should review this to ensure that’s occurring.”
Division 2 councillor Terry Landsberg was unhappy with Cr Suarez’s line of questioning and asked why she wanted to go against “a successful festival that has built its reputation”.
Cr Landsberg said businesses across the Sunshine Coast were involved in this year’s upcoming event, including security from Diddillibah, fencing from Landsborough, waste management from Coolum, bar operations from Glenview and marketing and promotion from Maroochydore.
“This CMF fills the gap for reaching out to the broader community on the Sunshine Coast,” said Cr Landsberg.
“The opportunity for people with disabilities, with young children to visit this event is just incredible.”
Councillors Peter Cox, Jason O’Pray and Rick Baberowski also spoke strongly in support of the CMF.
Cr O’Pray, who holds the tourism and economic development portfolio, said the event brought “enormous benefits” to all of the Sunshine Coast, including small businesses from all divisions that had the opportunity to “make a tonne of money”.
“You’ve got to remember we started the Caloundra Music Festival because there was a gap in the market. People were begging for music festivals on the Sunshine Coast 12 or 13 years ago and we didn’t have anything on offer ,” said Cr O’Pray.
“The council stepped up to the plate and we created the Caloundra Music Festival.”
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Cr Baberowski, who holds the arts portfolio, said the Caloundra Music Festival was instrumental in positioning the region as a place that had a “cultural offering”.
He said the private sector had been unwilling to take on the risk of a major festival and so council stepped into that space and had built up a brand which was bringing people to the region.
Cr Baberowski said the benefits were not just economic but social and cultural, with the event showcasing local musicians, as well as big name acts, and providing an opportunity for them to grow and develop.
The debate over the CMF arose during discussion at Thursday’s ordinary meeting on whether the council should apply National Competition Policy to festivals run by the council.
Councillors voted not to apply the Code of Competitive Conduct to the festivals’ business activity, but Cr Suarez disagreed with the motion.
