The V8 car race has caused yet another surge of passion in the Canberra community. Proponents and opponents of the race have trade arguments and insults through the letters pages and the air waves. Perhaps the main reason for there being more heat than light in the debate is that we do not know the facts on the financing of the race. Ordinarily, the financing of a commercial event would not be the public’s business. If the race were being held on private land with commercial sponsorship and entry fees paying the costs, it would not be public business – expect perhaps for the concern about glorifying speed on the road.
But the V8 race in Canberra is different. It obtains a subsidy and an underwriting guarantee from the ACT Government – money that could be used on others things or money that need not be raised from the populace at large. Further, the organisers of the race justify this public spending on the basis that it is beneficial overall for the Canberra economy. A further public element to the debate is the fact that the race is run in the Parliamentary Triangle, right in the centre of the city thereby causing unsightliness in the lead-up to the race and in its aftermath while the circuit and spectator facilities are prepared and disruption in the week before the race and the weekend of the race itself due to road closures that delay people going to work and hinder people going to attractions in the triangle.
The debate about when and where the race should run and how much taxpayer money should go into it is therefore a very public matter. It would help, therefore, if the public could know a little more about the finances behind it. It should, indeed, help the organisers of the race to stare down opponents if more of the finances could be made public.
Car-racing is not everyone’s favourite pass-time. Nor is opera, rock music, cultural festivals and a great range of human activities. Governments, though, rightly sponsor a large range of activities in the general pursuit of culture, sport and community spirit, without any requirement that they turn a profit. The business of government is not business – but community welfare. In promoting community welfare government should look to sponsoring things that would otherwise not happen and things which uplift the human spirit or uplift the feeling of community. In doing so they should weigh up the cost to the rest of the community that does not want to take part – in terms of money and inconvenience. Floriade closes a section of public park; the speed boat day on the lake causes a lot of noise; opera costs a lot of money for a few people; Canberra Day causes road closures; the car race costs money a disruption.
It may well be that the race brings to Canberra important benefits. It might help break down hostile images of Canberra by adding to the diversity of events and attractions here. It might bring to Canberra people who otherwise would not come, or stay for shorter periods. The television images of the city might bring its attractions to people outside the city who might not give Canberra so much as a second thought as a place to visit. Despite, the smaller crowd this year, the event certainly attracts a lot of people compared to other events – though we have no reliable independent scrutiny of actual numbers.
Treasurer Ted Quinlan has said the public cost is “”stretching the friendship” and he would make a decision on whether to continue support or withdraw two years early and face a penalty payment under the five-year agreement when he had all the figures before him. Not good enough. All the figures should be put before the public first. If the race is on track – so to speak – to make a valuable contribution to Canberra, there should be nothing to hide.