Show Society President launches petition to save event as health mandates bite

The Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show at Nambour Showgrounds faces the real possibility of cancelling or postponing the 2022 event because of the massive financial impact of  State Government health mandates.

As it stands people must be double-vaxed in order to attend a show on government-owned Showgrounds, even though the Show is largely an outdoor event.

Sunshine Coast Show President Rowan O’Hara has launched a petition against mandates which he said “discriminate against agricultural shows”.

He said the current rules added such a burden the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show management committee must decide whether the event, scheduled for June 10-12 at Nambour Showgrounds, may be postponed or cancelled in 2022. “We are hoping to postpone rather than cancel, and whilst we have a meeting this week, we are hoping to put off making a final decision until the coming weeks.  It really is quite a hard spot to be in,” Mr O’Hara said.

Mr O’Hara said vaccine mandates placed increased pressure on security arrangements and lowered workforce, exhibitors and patronage numbers. “Eighty percent of Queensland shows that should have run in 2022 up to now, have been postponed or cancelled due to the mandates,” he said.  

“Many other shows are considering cancelling, or if they do run, it will be at a very large financial loss.  Toowoomba alone, due to run next weekend (March 25, 26, 27), will run at a loss well over $100,000.  The Sunshine Coast Show simply cannot afford to do this.”

Mr O’Hara questioned the consistency of contradictory rules that changed depending on the type of event. “In reality, cricket, horse events, evacuation centres, football games, markets – regardless of size or what they are selling – can be held on Showgrounds without vaccination status being noted.  The current mandate states that all shows must be vaccinated events - yet all these other activities can be held on the same grounds within days of each other.

“The requirement to vet all who attend a show causes extra strain our manpower, which impedes our income and profitability. We work on a shoestring budget manned by volunteers and with less patrons, less stall holders, and less income, shows will run at a loss and therefore will not be sustainable.”

Stallholder numbers fall 30-40 percent

Mr O’Hara said stall holder numbers were down by 30 to 40 percent due to the vaccination mandates which were also having a big impact on entrant and competitor numbers.  

He said shows were a crucial element for maintaining community spirit in regional and rural towns.  Local motels and accommodation houses, restaurants, grocery shops and local butchers, bakeries and food and drink suppliers would suffer, as would local service clubs who use the Show as a fundraiser to put money back into the community.

“Churches and schools raise money by providing  additional carparking when the Show is on,” he said. “These are just some of the local businesses and organisations in Nambour who will be directly affected if the Sunshine Coast Show does not go ahead this year. This is a very deep blow.” 

Sign the petition

Sign the petition via: www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/.