Given the millions of public dollars that are converted to light, noise and smoke tonight…..
Are Public Funded Fireworks a Waste of Money?
[Deactivated] on 31/12/2017 - 14:06
Last edited 31/12/2017 - 16:46 by 1 other user
Last edited 31/12/2017 - 16:46 by 1 other user
Poll Options
- 644No
- 363Yes
Comments
So it's a weak argument but you do get your supposed $7 worth? Which is it, worth it or not?
Well, if the cost was $10,000 pp would the 15 minutes of enjoyment be money well spent on your daughter?
Except its not $7m. That figure would barely cover the pyrotechnics, and would in noway also include the extra police, ambulanes, cleaning and more.
Yeh and how much for the police, ambulances, cleaning etc .
Are you really that simple that you dont realise theres a bit more than just the fireworks ?
@ninetyNineCents: Did you even read the article?
The total cost of the New Year's Eve event has increased to just over $7 million this year, up from $6 million in 2011.
…..total cost
hurrrrrrr
Except its not $7m. That figure would barely cover the pyrotechnics,
Exactly why i said the fireworks cost 905k
The total cost of the New Year's Eve event has increased to just over $7 million this year, up from $6 million in 2011.
Except individual items are never itemised so its obviously they arent tabulating all the items.
Just the transport costs for the night would add up to a million or two for buses and trains. Pretty sure if you check the ledger for both of these public transport agencies they dont include an item mentioning the NYE cost.
Exactly why i said the fireworks cost 905k
So why be silly and continue the facade when you know the figures quoted for the "cost" are not the true cost.
Its about as sincere as me pretending the cost of the fireworks was zero, because it cost me personally zero, and thats whats happened here, some nobody, we dont know pretends to guess a number and never shows their workings or sources.
The joy it brings to people is worth every cent
If you use the argument that it's worth every cent, why not do it every day then and not just at NY? It's never a waste since the joy is worth every cent.
Right.. so you never indulge or treat yourself every now and then? You either go all out all the time or never by your logic?
Lunacy, why would anyone even think that's some sort of argument? It's just a lame random throwaway. By the way I like how you guys selectively chose to copy half the sentence and left out the part about my daughter's smile. Never had kids or give a hoot about family? Totally missed the point.
Unless you have a better way or idea to spend the money to give similar effect. Spending for fireworks have been proven so many years to be effective.
Effectively sending that money up in smoke, what else?
imo yes. But I understand the reasons people do it.
What pisses me off is when neighbors do their own, and it's so ear piercing that it almost shatters my windows. Not to mention pets get frightened by them.
It baffles me that people older than 12 are still impressed with fireworks lmao
People who don't understand a Cost-Benefit analysis should get some business case lessons.
And the reason that nobody ever provides a full itemised list of all expenses is because the cost is far larger than just a figure of $7M. The same is also true of the benefits.
If the benefits were so great, why dont the businesses benefiting stage their own fireworks a few more times in the year ?
After all the extra fireworks would further increase their business and profits… or does it ?
The actual cost of the fireworks itself is less than $1M. The $9M includes security,police, waste disposal, planning, etc.
Pretty cheap for an event that brings in $150M in tourism money.Sorry i found a few articles that stated similar numbers, b ut none show an itemised list of all items. For example waste disposal has never been costed, the sydney city council has never provided a cost just for that. The same goes for the police.
Pretty cheap for an event that brings in $150M in tourism money.
Proof.
If it really did bring in $150M for a cost of $9M, wouldnt the same parties have an interest in having multiple fireworks each year, after all spending $20 for 2 events means $300M … or does it ?
You can't have new year's eve more than once a year in the harbour bridge and get the same economic effect.
You can say the same thing about Vivid Sydney.
You can't have new year's eve more than once a year in the harbour bridge and get the same economic effect.
Sure you can, just call it mid years day, that way the tourists that missed the NYE fireworks have a reason to come mid year w/out waiting for the next NYE.
You can say the same thing about Vivid Sydney.
Exactly both are night light shows and supposedly "suck in" tiourists. You just proved theres always space for one more.
You have already stated you like them, now try a bit harder and reason the challenge i asked.
I'm in Iceland atm on holidays. Everyone can buy fireworks. Makes a lot more sense, government doesn't waste money and it's wonderful seeing all the parties everywhere and fireworks go off in multiple places and most nights.
It's really wasteful for government to spend money otherwise.
I'm in Iceland
it's cold in that part of the world right now. there is a low chance of bushfire. nsw is totally different.
Medicare would be picking up the bill, and fingers.
I don't live in Sydney and think Sydney's lucky to have a decent tourism draw card.
When my friends ask "Does Canberra have anything interesting to see?" all I can tell them is Floriade. Talking about tulips just doesn't do it for tourists no matter how its promoted "… but tulips can last 2 weeks while the Sydney fireworks last only a few minutes".
It's tradition, I guess, same as birthday parties. You just have to. And you always want to make it better each year.
brisbane fireworks are always pretty lame
What kind of bargain community is this?
I said yes but i really think maybe…
I agree with previous statements that it brings tourists in but i also think the money is better spend on hospitals, roads and schools
But tourism makes money, which gets taxed and keeps people off welfare.
So it actually makes far more money for hospitals and schools than the investment.
You know what is a waste of money? NBN. So i'm ok with spending a little on pretty lights.
Umm ok then.
You've forgetten your morning meds grandpa. Maybe pop some extra ones for lunch and let the sane people talk here.Welcome to the 21st Century, where FAST internet is big business and the way of the future (and the present actually).
You clearly don't get that I'm having a dig at NBN because it is NOT fast! my 4G is quicker
I apologise, but I took your comment to mean "NBN is a waste of money"… as in we shouldn't be investing in such infrastructure.
What you meant I'm now guessing, is "NBNCo/Liberal Government couldn't manage a local raffle, let alone implementing the NBN Rollout".If only they just went with Fibre to the Home as originally planned for.
Sydney's fireworks are an important tourism event and are worth it. Some tourists come to see it, but more importantly it takes advantage of our +11 (DST) timezone to lead the worlds news and newyears tv specials so really advertises the harbour and keeps the bridge and Opera house as famous landmarks.
Smaller town displays can also pay for themselves with local tourism.
Plus it gets people out in a family atmosphere, rather than the blind drunk alcohol culture.
Family atmosphere at 12am?
the 9pm fireworks are for families
was parked under a tree full of lorikeets. Sure gives them a good bowel flush and my garden hose as well.
At least we get something that's not ugly to look at for a few minutes, then it's out of sight and forgotten for another year… unlike the result of another recent waste of million$.
Haha government wasting the money it's extorted from the working class and this is the best example you can come up with?
Let us enjoy some fireworks as the crowds take on an increasingly third world appearance and the diversity bollards are installed…
I live at Hornsby and when the fireworks went off, it woke up birds and upset them. I say stop them, they are a waste of money, resources and are pollution. While the fireworks went off large numbers of cockatoo's were screeching. I think a mass fireworks display is very childish.
so do volcanic eruptions.
Volcanic eruptions are not in our control. Firework is.
won't somebody PLEASE think of the birds?!
Can you imagine how boring a city would be if they didn't "waste" money on anything unnecessary?
The fireworks displays bring joy to many people and make NYE a more special event. Even though it's a lot of money to one person, when you work out the cost per person who views them it's very low.
There are also the benefits of tourism and worldwide media attention as others have mentioned. I think they're 100% worthwhile
"Can you imagine how boring a city would be if they didn't "waste" money on anything unnecessary?"
Your right, I would rather not have an extra $100 in my wallet to know that child like mind adults enjoyed the fireworks on NYE, I would rather not have $5,000 extra in my wallet every year so I can see some useless overpaid government 'worker' who does really nothing all day cut me off in a mercedes. Waste is good!!!
It sure is a tourist attraction as many have said here, and I’m not against our economy rocketing up, but aren’t we playing double standards when on one hand we talk about global warming but on other we have no problems with sending tons of smoke up and helping global warming?
We should look at alternative ways to attract tourists without destroying earth.
Is it bad for the environment?
Fire works good but I wish they can make no pollution fire works lol. In this poll clearly prove that people love to be entertain at cost of health and pollution. Just imagine,this fire works make smoke by 1 city if u consider whole world how big damage will make in furture? There is other way u can make whole world better by decorating re-usable material and few led light(little environment friendly) will sine city too. And get some food store and some music and arts will make good tourism too.
welfare is a waste of money, give me fireworks any day
I witnessed Asians dancing and trying to keep up with their lip syncing abilities near DJ's.
I've just come back from Hong Kong across year 2017 & 2018. Both Disney Fireworks and Victoria Harbor Fireworks.
They are all grand and they live up all vistitors' passion for new year.
It's a common spirit for our own, it's not waste money. We cherish people around and saying "Happy New Year" to each other, we dance on the road with people with different colors.
We wish we can harvest in the new year, we wish our family and friends healthy and wealthy.
So, it's not waste money, it's an ceremony!If these (childish) fireworks rake in such fancy coin hand over fist, why did Brisbane have the controversy/cancellation a few years back of the traditional fighter jet fuel burn, which was the only real jewel in a pretty lame crown, and as far I know actually something unique that other firework displays lacked..?
Looks Fireworks are a waste of money, however it's nothing compared to the ADF spending of $10b in 4 years
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-28/us-weapons-spend-tops-…
That's ~$2.5b each year on arms for what? To send a couple of eggheads to Afghan/Iraq/etc and fight a losing and pointless war?
Half of the soldiers die and we spend more money on their grieving families on compos, and the ones that return cost us (tax payers) more money in mental and physical health assessments. It's a lose-lose situation.Looks Fireworks are a waste of money, however it's nothing compared to the ADF spending of $10b in 4 years
The US is our ally.
ofcourse, I didn't approve my tax to spent on those stupid rainbow fireworks!!
The utter idiocy of some comments on here is astonishing. Childish? Waste of money? Geez, you selfish miserable scrooges. Have a thought for the local economy and small/medium size businesses who's livelihood it is on people coming into the city, and visiting the city from home and abroad. Or just the fact there are clearly hundreds of thousands of people that disagree and enjoy it, brings some fun and beauty to the celebration of a year gone by and who knows what to come. If you have half the passion for our tax money i suspect you would be vastly less lazy about understanding your politics, your local member, heck even what the parties stand for and how much extreme waste there exists in the political system from council to state to federal (lets not even start with the public sector)… to worry about a few million spend on fireworks for NYE is nothing short of ridiculous.
Total waste of money and boring as hell
probably the weakest argument imo.
Assuming that the $7M cost is similar from a few years back, and 1M people visit the fireworks, i think I get my $7 of value/enjoyment