VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 18:30:30 08/20/05 Sat
Author: :- )
Subject: AUSTRALIA NEWS






State risks losing Miss Universe pageant
By Braden Quartermaine

August 21, 2005


A State Government has been accused of dilly-dallying over an opportunity to host the Miss Universe extravaganza next year.
While EventsCorp is talking up the Tri-Nations Bowls Series and the Kings Park Wildflower Festival, the chance to showcase WA's tourism hot spots to a world television audience of 800 million could be lost.

The Sunday Times can reveal that the State Government was alerted to the opportunity six months ago – for a bargain $US6 million ($7.99 million) hosting fee.

But the Donald Trump-backed Miss Universe organisation has been kept on hold and a decision to back the venture is needed from the State Government within 10 days – or they will look to the eastern states.

But Tourism Minister Mark McGowan told The Sunday Times yesterday he was not about to throw away taxpayers' money, particularly after the former Court government burnt millions of dollars on the failed Global Dance and Elle Racing tourism projects.

Mr McGowan wants answers from Miss Universe about the exact nature of benefits the event would bring the state.

Advertisement:
He was sceptical and wanted to be sure not only of the cost to taxpayers and the financial benefits for the state, but also the credentials of the proponent.

"When a person comes and asks for up to $20 million of WA taxpayers' money, we need to properly and fully assess his bona fides and whether he has the capacity of delivering what he says he can," Mr McGowan said.

"I'm not going to get sucked in.

"We have been asking for this information for months and we still haven't been provided with a full monetary breakdown. I do not intend to be loose with WA citizens' dollars."

On hearing Miss Universe bosses wanted to bring the glittering show to Australia, WA businessman Jonathan Westbrook convinced vice president Tony Santomauro that Perth was the best option.

Perth hosted the event in 1979, when a ramp to the stage infamously collapsed.

Mr Westbrook, a beauty pageant judge, has been frustrated by what he says is the Government's lackadaisical attitude. He claims EventsCorp knocked back his urgent request for a meeting on Friday.

In an email on Thursday, EventsCorp told him it would get back to him in early September.

"EventsCorp has a busy schedule for the next two weeks," the email said.

It was proposed that at least 80 Miss Universe finalists from around the world would spend three to four weeks in WA in the lead-up to the May event, attending daily events and photo shoots at spectacular tourist destinations around the state.

Mr Westbrook said the event would be beamed to 170 countries and would be a $1 billion shot in the arm to WA's tourism industry.

As well as the hosting fee, the State Government would have to provide a letter of credit for another $US6 million in running costs, which could be recouped by sponsorship.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> It would be nice to see the girls in Australia. Its a very nice country. -- Will see., 21:44:13 08/20/05 Sat [1]


[ Edit | View ]

[> **!DON'T BET ON IT!!!........AUSSIES PREFER TO INVE$T THEIR CA$H IN SPORTS & MACHO ACTIVITIES THAN IN BEAUTY PAGEANTS!!! -- **MISS UNIVERSE IS BETTER OFF IN THAILAND, CHINA or the FAR EAST!!!, 07:16:16 08/27/05 Sat [1]

> >src="http://www.australian1.com/Australian_Photos/Melbo
>urne_Australia/photographs/Melbourne_Australia_skyline_
>night_time_large.jpg">
>
> >src="http://www.jacekphoto.com/australia/sydney_night.j
>pg">
>
>
>State risks losing Miss Universe pageant
>By Braden Quartermaine
>
>August 21, 2005
>
>
>A State Government has been accused of dilly-dallying
>over an opportunity to host the Miss Universe
>extravaganza next year.
>While EventsCorp is talking up the Tri-Nations Bowls
>Series and the Kings Park Wildflower Festival, the
>chance to showcase WA's tourism hot spots to a world
>television audience of 800 million could be lost.
>
>The Sunday Times can reveal that the State Government
>was alerted to the opportunity six months ago ?for a
>bargain $US6 million ($7.99 million) hosting fee.
>
>But the Donald Trump-backed Miss Universe organisation
>has been kept on hold and a decision to back the
>venture is needed from the State Government within 10
>days ?or they will look to the eastern states.
>
>But Tourism Minister Mark McGowan told The Sunday
>Times yesterday he was not about to throw away
>taxpayers' money, particularly after the former Court
>government burnt millions of dollars on the failed
>Global Dance and Elle Racing tourism projects.
>
>Mr McGowan wants answers from Miss Universe about the
>exact nature of benefits the event would bring the
>state.
>
>Advertisement:
>He was sceptical and wanted to be sure not only of the
>cost to taxpayers and the financial benefits for the
>state, but also the credentials of the proponent.
>
>"When a person comes and asks for up to $20 million of
>WA taxpayers' money, we need to properly and fully
>assess his bona fides and whether he has the capacity
>of delivering what he says he can," Mr McGowan said.
>
>"I'm not going to get sucked in.
>
>"We have been asking for this information for months
>and we still haven't been provided with a full
>monetary breakdown. I do not intend to be loose with
>WA citizens' dollars."
>
>On hearing Miss Universe bosses wanted to bring the
>glittering show to Australia, WA businessman Jonathan
>Westbrook convinced vice president Tony Santomauro
>that Perth was the best option.
>
>Perth hosted the event in 1979, when a ramp to the
>stage infamously collapsed.
>
>Mr Westbrook, a beauty pageant judge, has been
>frustrated by what he says is the Government's
>lackadaisical attitude. He claims EventsCorp knocked
>back his urgent request for a meeting on Friday.
>
>In an email on Thursday, EventsCorp told him it would
>get back to him in early September.
>
>"EventsCorp has a busy schedule for the next two
>weeks," the email said.
>
>It was proposed that at least 80 Miss Universe
>finalists from around the world would spend three to
>four weeks in WA in the lead-up to the May event,
>attending daily events and photo shoots at spectacular
>tourist destinations around the state.
>
>Mr Westbrook said the event would be beamed to 170
>countries and would be a $1 billion shot in the arm to
>WA's tourism industry.
>
>As well as the hosting fee, the State Government would
>have to provide a letter of credit for another $US6
>million in running costs, which could be recouped by
>sponsorship.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Just remember what happened the last time Australia hosted the pageant.....(the stage collasped!!).... -- ....Disaster may strike again!, 07:20:13 08/27/05 Sat [1]

>> >>src="http://www.australian1.com/Australian_Photos/Melb
>o
>>urne_Australia/photographs/Melbourne_Australia_skyline
>_
>>night_time_large.jpg">
>>
>> >>src="http://www.jacekphoto.com/australia/sydney_night.
>j
>>pg">
>>
>>
>>State risks losing Miss Universe pageant
>>By Braden Quartermaine
>>
>>August 21, 2005
>>
>>
>>A State Government has been accused of dilly-dallying
>>over an opportunity to host the Miss Universe
>>extravaganza next year.
>>While EventsCorp is talking up the Tri-Nations Bowls
>>Series and the Kings Park Wildflower Festival, the
>>chance to showcase WA's tourism hot spots to a world
>>television audience of 800 million could be lost.
>>
>>The Sunday Times can reveal that the State Government
>>was alerted to the opportunity six months ago ?for a
>>bargain $US6 million ($7.99 million) hosting fee.
>>
>>But the Donald Trump-backed Miss Universe organisation
>>has been kept on hold and a decision to back the
>>venture is needed from the State Government within 10
>>days ?or they will look to the eastern states.
>>
>>But Tourism Minister Mark McGowan told The Sunday
>>Times yesterday he was not about to throw away
>>taxpayers' money, particularly after the former Court
>>government burnt millions of dollars on the failed
>>Global Dance and Elle Racing tourism projects.
>>
>>Mr McGowan wants answers from Miss Universe about the
>>exact nature of benefits the event would bring the
>>state.
>>
>>Advertisement:
>>He was sceptical and wanted to be sure not only of the
>>cost to taxpayers and the financial benefits for the
>>state, but also the credentials of the proponent.
>>
>>"When a person comes and asks for up to $20 million of
>>WA taxpayers' money, we need to properly and fully
>>assess his bona fides and whether he has the capacity
>>of delivering what he says he can," Mr McGowan said.
>>
>>"I'm not going to get sucked in.
>>
>>"We have been asking for this information for months
>>and we still haven't been provided with a full
>>monetary breakdown. I do not intend to be loose with
>>WA citizens' dollars."
>>
>>On hearing Miss Universe bosses wanted to bring the
>>glittering show to Australia, WA businessman Jonathan
>>Westbrook convinced vice president Tony Santomauro
>>that Perth was the best option.
>>
>>Perth hosted the event in 1979, when a ramp to the
>>stage infamously collapsed.
>>
>>Mr Westbrook, a beauty pageant judge, has been
>>frustrated by what he says is the Government's
>>lackadaisical attitude. He claims EventsCorp knocked
>>back his urgent request for a meeting on Friday.
>>
>>In an email on Thursday, EventsCorp told him it would
>>get back to him in early September.
>>
>>"EventsCorp has a busy schedule for the next two
>>weeks," the email said.
>>
>>It was proposed that at least 80 Miss Universe
>>finalists from around the world would spend three to
>>four weeks in WA in the lead-up to the May event,
>>attending daily events and photo shoots at spectacular
>>tourist destinations around the state.
>>
>>Mr Westbrook said the event would be beamed to 170
>>countries and would be a $1 billion shot in the arm to
>>WA's tourism industry.
>>
>>As well as the hosting fee, the State Government would
>>have to provide a letter of credit for another $US6
>>million in running costs, which could be recouped by
>>sponsorship.


[ Edit | View ]


[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.