Targa V's Hobart City Council

[Mozza]

this was front page news in Hobarts Mercury newspaper today--->

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ANGRY Hobart aldermen yesterday branded Targa Tasmania as "organised hooning" and its competitors "environmental bandits".

Eva Ruzicka and Bill Harvey came out firing in their decision not to approve a proposed Targa stage on the Domain in April.

"It's organised hooning, and we've a problem with hooning on our streets," Mr Harvey said. "Targa actively encourages that behaviour."

Aldermen Ruzicka and Harvey opposed the Domain event at last Thursday's Parks and Customer Services committee meeting, tying 2-2 with pro-Targa aldermen Ron Christie and Jeff Briscoe.

Both factions believe there will be fiery debate when the full council sits to decide the fate of the city Targa stage on Wednesday.

The "No Targa" councillors only need a 6-6 vote to prevent the Domain stage.

"Targa is a private event on public roads, and I don't support car racing," Mr Harvey said.

"In light of climate change, I think events like this, which produce vast amounts of CO2, send the wrong message to the community."

Targa boss Mark Perry defended the event.

"To call us environmental bandits is just wrong. Get your facts right," Mr Perry said.

"We have diesel-powered entries in this year's event and we have diesel vehicles as work cars.

"The entire Targa field of 305 cars will have an output equivalent to that of 30 normal road cars over an average year. That's one street from one town."

Ald Ruzicka, who has never had a driver's licence, said Targa promoted hooning.

"It encourages hooning and I get increasingly angry that Targa would appear to result in the attitude of young drivers thinking they can drive their cars like Targa competitors drive theirs," she said.

"After Targa has been, you can see and hear more of it going on, screaming cars late at night."

Mr Perry denied that claim.

"There are no facts to support that argument," he said.

Ald Ruzicka was concerned about the environmental impact of the tarmac rally.

"It's hypocritical of the council to condone Targa whilst running a green program in the council and actively encouraging people to leave cars at home and use public transport and taxis," she said.

Mr Perry said if the Domain stage did not go ahead next month, there would be no plans for a 2009 stage. The council refused to agree on a night stage in 2007 and the Domain stage was axed.

The Domain would be the only Hobart stage on the one day the rally goes South.

[Adrian]

On an issue like this you would think that CAMS would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka,

Oh hang on that should read

On an issue like this you would think that AASA would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka

Adrian

[Bede]

These are the kind of people that think turning off your lights for EarthHour actually helps reduce CO2 emissions*...



* Power stations can’t just be turned on and off. They can vary the output of the generator to roughly follow the electricity demand of ‘the grid’, but they cannot turn the furnace off (which is what actually creates the CO2). It takes ~2 days to make a coal fired power station operational after it has been turned off. And of course they can’t reduce the furnace output because as soon as EarthHour is over everyone turns their lights back on. In other words, EarthHour is a big WANK!! If you really want to make a difference, put in light blubs and electronic devices that use less electricity. If everyone does this, the demand on ‘the grid’, as a whole, is reduced. In turn with the consistently lower requirements they can lower the furnace burn rates.

[slowlearner]

"In light of climate change, I think events like this, which produce vast amounts of CO2, send the wrong message to the community."

I'm sure his heaters at home produce more CO2. Most of Tassie uses oil heaters and slow combustion stoves don't they?

Might help if his council started by banning these don't you think. Might also help if the state stopped chopping down old growth forrests.

This is a grab for publicity. He's obviously not very important otherwise he wouldn't need to get so crotchety in public.

[MATNESmotorsports]

don't busses and taxi's produce C02??? does this guy own a car??,

there is no Targa style invent in canberra but come sit on the hill at the erindale dr/taverner street round about on friday night......wonder what their insperation is

MATT

[Mozza]

the main protaganist in this article is a lady who has never been licensed, Aldermen Ruzicka.
I have just done a follow up article about this with the local Mercury newspaper, I wonder how they will twist it around! stay tuned

[Mike Cherry]

I saw something on Nat Geo the other day about the total worldwide contribution to pollution by the aviation industry is only about 6%, makes rallying look insignificant, eh.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Adrian

On an issue like this you would think that CAMS would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka,

Oh hang on that should read

On an issue like this you would think that AASA would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka

Adrian

On an issue like this you would think anyone interested in motorsport would get behind the organisers, the good alderpsersons dont give a rats who organises a permit.

[Ric Cary]

Originally Posted by Adrian

On an issue like this you would think that CAMS would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka,

Oh hang on that should read


Adrian

Just like CAMS helped the good people of Port Macquarie in their issues with State Forests( waiting more than 2 years for the MOU), Or perhaps like they have helped in the negotiations with the NSW RTA re Rally rego(waiting more than 3 years) or even How they have helped the NSW Rally Panel set up a commercial entity so we could take advantage of several sponsorship opportunities.( waiting 3 years)

GET over It Adrian Glass houses !!! CAMS is populated with shiny arses that do SFA that is the reason that AASA has made so many inroads into CAMS market place. So just cut the fear mongering crap.

[Miss]

Originally Posted by Adrian

On an issue like this you would think that CAMS would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka,

Oh hang on that should read

On an issue like this you would think that AASA would get behind Targa Tas and support them in their fight with the good Aldermen Ruzicka

Adrian

Just like CAMS has with Huntley, hey Adrian.

[KPW]

I'm sure Ronke's on the phone right now.

[Mozza]

I was hoping to show the Alderpersons, who were on my side, this thread to show the support from the "Rally Community" and other circumstances where Rally organsers have experienced this drama!
please dont taint it with another CAMS v's AASA battle!

[HomerJ]

Love going to Targa

99% of what that counciller says is garbage. But domain is one of those sections that allows far too many morons, who know nothing about rallying, to wander around with limited supervision and its only a matter of time till someone wanders onto the road and gets squished and its all over for targa.

Twice at Domain I've told morons to move from where they were standing on the outside of corners. And don't forget the spectators who were hit a while ago. It also runs right next to a yuppy area so it may just bring the crabs so to speak.

A clever side step could work. There are 2 things important in Tas. The hobart and Launceston fight and the money from Tourism and events surrounding it including Targa.

Pull the stage on the wishes of the council. Advise that seeing as Hobart doesnt want targa then it will turn left at Bridgewater and head back up to lonnie. Contact the casino, federal hotels, hobart chamber of commerce and advise them of the planned change and the loss of $$$$$ to hobart that will go to Lonnie.

Watch the backflip.

[ABCxyz]

I'm not supporting the alder-persons (correct term?)

In last years night stage there was a huge trophy given out for the guy doing 20 donuts. While this goes on you must expect that a fair number of people are going to be negative about the event. This is a fantastic event and doesn't need cars doing donuts to grow, the event promoters should be always mindful of the image they want to present.

The Summernats cop this type of reaction so it should come as no surprise that this is the reaction here.

[Lyndall]

Originally Posted by Mozza

"It's organised hooning, and we've a problem with hooning on our streets," Mr Harvey said. "Targa actively encourages that behaviour."

It's a legal, legitimate, safety-conscious, well organised international-level sporting event, that provides a safe outlet for motorsport enthusiasts from around the state, country and overseas. It also held to provide entertainment to Tasmanian locals that, due to their island status, are a little limited in their entertainment options, not to mention the considerable boost to the local economy and Targa's support of local charities and non-profit community organisations.

How can a professionally-run sporting event be compared to or blamed for hooning on Hobart streets? It's like banning all martial arts classes in Hobart because there's been an increase in pub brawls lately. Or not permitting any AFL matches to be held in Hobart because a fight broke out between parents of the North Hobart vs. South Hobart under 7's Aussie Rules match last week.

Have the Hobart City Council aldermen considered that if they were proactive and provided sufficient venue/s for spirited driving at no/low cost close to Hobart, that might reduce the amount of hooning on public streets?

Find another straw to clutch, and stop insulting everyone's intelligence...