The ACT Government has the right attitude on Floriade, but appears to have gone about it the wrong way. The Minister for Urban Service, Tony De Domenico says, “”It is about time interstate visitors, particularly those from Sydney, paid their way and stopped expecting everything for nothing.” True enough. But his solution is to impose a $5 parking fee around Floriade. The trouble with this approach is that a very large proportion of interstate visitors come by bus and therefore will not pay the $5 fee. On the other hand, the greater portion by far of Canberra visitors to Floriade will arrive by car and be hit by the fee.
Mr De Domenico wanted to have it both ways: to be able to say that Floriade is still a free event and to say that interstate people are contributing to the cost. The result has been that for most Canberra families Floriade is now no longer free, but for most interstate people it still is. It is the worst of both worlds. He should have bitten the bullet and charged an entry fee of, say, $5 a head or $10 a family. The busloads of interstate visitors would then contribute a fair share. The fee would not deter significant numbers because there is so much else to do and see in Canberra and it is a particularly pleasant time of year to do it. To the extent that some numbers drop off it may not be such a bad thing, especially send- and third-time visitors and those who wander (or cycle or blade) through just because it is there. Those who pay will get more space to enjoy the flowers.
Mr De Domenico is right to say people should not expect everything for nothing, so he should make them pay … for seeing the flowers, not for parking the car.