Winterfest canned

By Tania Martin
EMERALD’S popular Winterfest has been canned following public liability concerns.
The committee last week announced the cancellation of the 16-year-old festival for the first time.
Winterfest president Gregg Smith said the committee had been unable to gain insurance following a council review of its volunteer groups (section 86 committees).
Mr Smith said the review conducted by Cardinia Shire’s insurers considered the Winterfest and others events not to be council business.
He said this resulted in Winterfest being uninsured.
The only way the committee could then be covered for public liability was to become an incorporated body.
Shire spokesman Paul Dunlop said the review was undertaken following concerns raised by the council’s insurers.
“We were told these valuable volunteer organisations may not be adequately protected under our existing policy,” he said.
“It was determined the best approach would be to seek incorporation of these groups and ensure they had appropriate independent insurance so they would not be put at risk of liability in the event of a major incident or tragedy.”
Mr Dunlop said the council had worked closely with the Winterfest committee to make this process as smooth as possible.
“We have provided staff to guide groups through the incorporation process and funded the initial cost of incorporation and public liability insurance, on top of our ongoing financial support to the event itself,” he said.
However, Mr Smith said the extra work involved in becoming incorporated had led to the final decision to cancel this year’s event.
“We will focus on getting the process right for a 2010 event.”
Mr Smith said there were also a number of other factors that lead to the cancellation. He said stallholders who lost their businesses in the Black Saturday fires had pulled out of the popular event.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but are very grateful for the support you have provided this event over the years,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith has vowed the festival will return bigger and better next year.
“I want to assure everyone that we are not going away, we are just having a break,” he said.
Since the first festival 16 years ago the event has raised more than $20,000 for local emergency services, schools and community groups.
Mr Dunlop said the council would continue to support the winterfest in the future.
“We look forward to this popular event returning bigger and better than ever in 2010,” he said.