On Monday afternoon, the Victorian government put a cross through the Australian Grand Prix for another year. The move has led to a great deal of soul-searching about Victoria’s major events future.
, Mr Hollis said hoteliers were disappointed by the race’s cancellation because they had worked closely with the Grand Prix Corporation to develop a COVID-safe plan that would have allowed the largely vaccinated Formula One contingent to remain in a bubble away from the public.
Victorians had tired of the government’s “risk averse” approach to events, they said, and would welcomeand Europe, where sporting crowds could show a vaccination certificate or undertake a rapid COVID-19 test to gain entry. One of those contractors is Melbourne restaurant and catering company, the Atlantic Group. Its chief executive, Hatem Saleh, said the company had been planning all year to feed up to 16,000 corporate guests at the grand prix in November. To do this, he would need 1100 staff.“The decision to cancel comes with a lot of shock and disappointment for our team,” Mr Saleh said.
But this had to be the last time a big event was shelved. “I was devastated. We don’t get these events easily.” He said it was time for the government to focus on ensuring big domestic events such as the AFL grand final and racing’s spring carnival went ahead with maximum crowds. Former Labor premier Joan Kirner established the Victorian Major Events Company back in 1991 and appointed the chief fundraiser for the Victorian Liberal Party, businessman Ron Walker, as its chairman.
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