COUNCIL 15 SEPTEMBER 2014

ITEM 3.2. - RABBITOHS GRANT

FILE NO: S051491

MINUTE BY THE LORD MAYOR

To Council:

Souths Cares is preparing for the South District Rugby League Football Club (the Rabbitohs) making its first (NRL) Grand Final since 1971. Souths Cares is requesting support from the City for two events if the Rabbitohs are successful in making the NRL Grand Final in 2014.

Souths Cares is an independent not-for-profit public benevolent institution, established to support the local community and address social needs across the South Sydney region. Its charter is to support disadvantaged, marginalised and indigenous youth and their families, with a specific focus on education, training, health and employment.

The community support and popularity of the Rabbitohs is strong. On 12 November 2000, an estimated 80,000 people marched from Redfern to Sydney Town Hall to protest against their expulsion from the NRL.

The Rabbitohs have a long-standing relationship with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Redfern. The Rabbitohs’ emblem and the red and green colours on the club’s jersey are symbolic to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and widely recognised throughout Australia. In 2008, the club was given recognition as a National Trust Community Icon for its historical, sporting, social and cultural significance.

Souths Cares understands the importance of providing fans an opportunity to be involved in the 2014 NRL Grand Final.

The following two events have been proposed in the event that the Rabbitohs are successful in making the NRL Grand Final in 2014.

Live Site – Sunday 5 October 2014

- Expected crowd 5,000

- Location Redfern Oval

- Entry fee $10

Fan Day – Monday 6 October 2014 (whether or not they win)

- Expected crowd 5,000 – 8,000 (if lost) or over 20,000 (if won)

- Location Redfern Oval, including if Rabbitohs win

- No entry fee.

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COUNCIL 15 SEPTEMBER 2014

The total cost to run the two events is $116,523.80. The cost for a fan to attend the NRL Grand Final has increased significantly, with adult tickets ranging from $165 to $380. Souths Cares proposes to charge $10 entry to the Live Site event on Sunday 5 October 2014, which will raise the additional funds required to support the costs of the two events. The requested cash support from the City of Sydney is $60,000 (excluding GST).

This Minute recommends in-principle approval for the cash grant, subject to the Rabbitohs playing in the Grand Final. It is proposed that funds be sourced from the General Contingency budget.

RECOMMENDATION

It is resolved that:

(A) Council approve in principle a cash grant of $60,000 (excluding GST) from the 2014/15 General Contingency budget to Souths Cares for the following two events:

(i) Live Site - Sunday 5 October 2014; and

(ii) Fan Day - Monday 6 October 2014; and

(B) authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer to enter into a funding agreement with South Cares.

COUNCILLOR CLOVER MOORE Lord Mayor

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