Mrs BRAHAM - 2005-10-20
BassintheDust was a great success. However, I have a few questions I would like you to answer. Unfortunately, it was held on the second-last night of the Alice Desert Festival. Who decided to have it compete with the Desert Festival events? How much did government contribute to BassintheDust? What was the financial outcome for the private promoter? Did government have to top up their contribution to ensure the private promoter was not out of pocket?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I must say, for the first time I got to go to BassintheDust, which I was delighted at. I did not see you there, member for Braitling. I was disappointed that I did not see you there because it was an excellent concert.
Members interjecting.
Mrs Braham: I was elsewhere.
Ms MARTIN: You were there in spirit. It is always difficult to find a night that is going to be the most appropriate night. The night that was chosen was within the Alice Springs Festival and that was generally agreed to. I was aware that the night chosen, as it emerged, did have some things like sports awards nights coinciding with it. I understand that did cause some problems. There were also some other festival activities. However, I do not believe those festival activities impacted on BassintheDust; they were complementary things. I did discover that there were sports awards nights on that night and it was going to create some difficulties for that target audience for BassintheDust.
We live and learn with BassintheDust. This is the third time we have held it, and the third venue that has been chosen and, by a long way, this is the best venue. It puts paid to BassintheDust, unfortunately, because there was very little sign of any dust in any part of Anzac Oval. It was looking superb and very green. I congratulate those involved, Major Events Company and Darren Lynch of Pinecot Pty Ltd, who was awarded management of the event. There were some innovative aspects to it. They had a disco at the back so that anyone who did not like a band could go and try something else during that band’s time on stage.
In the adjournment debate last night, I talked about my experience there. I met the Logan brothers, the stars of this year’s Big Brother. They had an enthusiastic reception from the crowd, particularly the young women, for some particular reason.
We originally committed $50 000 towards BassintheDust. We put another $50 000 in through government, and the Major Events Company put another $20 000 towards that.
Mrs Braham: $120 000.
Ms MARTIN: Altogether $120 000 to BassintheDust. Private promoter, Darren Lynch, organised the concert. The company assumed the risks and any profit was theirs to take. We managed the cost of the ticket, we put $120 000 in, worked with the promoter; however, they took the risks and the chance of not making a profit out of it. However, I am pleased to say it was the biggest attendance we have ever had in BassintheDust - 1222 people attended. That was about twice the number on the previous year. I am delighted. BassintheDust in Alice has proved more difficult than the Darwin event. BassintheGrass’s attendance was well over 5000 this year, significantly more. However, per capita, 1222 is not bad for Central Australia. We have to keep working to get that Central Australian concert right.
We are committed to it, although we might have to rename it, member for Braitling. We might need some advice from you about this, as BassintheDust, if held at Anzac Oval, does not really work. However, it was an excellent concert and I was delighted to see so many young Centralians and those young at heart attending.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I must say, for the first time I got to go to BassintheDust, which I was delighted at. I did not see you there, member for Braitling. I was disappointed that I did not see you there because it was an excellent concert.
Members interjecting.
Mrs Braham: I was elsewhere.
Ms MARTIN: You were there in spirit. It is always difficult to find a night that is going to be the most appropriate night. The night that was chosen was within the Alice Springs Festival and that was generally agreed to. I was aware that the night chosen, as it emerged, did have some things like sports awards nights coinciding with it. I understand that did cause some problems. There were also some other festival activities. However, I do not believe those festival activities impacted on BassintheDust; they were complementary things. I did discover that there were sports awards nights on that night and it was going to create some difficulties for that target audience for BassintheDust.
We live and learn with BassintheDust. This is the third time we have held it, and the third venue that has been chosen and, by a long way, this is the best venue. It puts paid to BassintheDust, unfortunately, because there was very little sign of any dust in any part of Anzac Oval. It was looking superb and very green. I congratulate those involved, Major Events Company and Darren Lynch of Pinecot Pty Ltd, who was awarded management of the event. There were some innovative aspects to it. They had a disco at the back so that anyone who did not like a band could go and try something else during that band’s time on stage.
In the adjournment debate last night, I talked about my experience there. I met the Logan brothers, the stars of this year’s Big Brother. They had an enthusiastic reception from the crowd, particularly the young women, for some particular reason.
We originally committed $50 000 towards BassintheDust. We put another $50 000 in through government, and the Major Events Company put another $20 000 towards that.
Mrs Braham: $120 000.
Ms MARTIN: Altogether $120 000 to BassintheDust. Private promoter, Darren Lynch, organised the concert. The company assumed the risks and any profit was theirs to take. We managed the cost of the ticket, we put $120 000 in, worked with the promoter; however, they took the risks and the chance of not making a profit out of it. However, I am pleased to say it was the biggest attendance we have ever had in BassintheDust - 1222 people attended. That was about twice the number on the previous year. I am delighted. BassintheDust in Alice has proved more difficult than the Darwin event. BassintheGrass’s attendance was well over 5000 this year, significantly more. However, per capita, 1222 is not bad for Central Australia. We have to keep working to get that Central Australian concert right.
We are committed to it, although we might have to rename it, member for Braitling. We might need some advice from you about this, as BassintheDust, if held at Anzac Oval, does not really work. However, it was an excellent concert and I was delighted to see so many young Centralians and those young at heart attending.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016