At last night’s Kiama Council meeting, held at the Gerringong Town Hall, councillors spent over 30 minutes debating whether to waive a $10,520 hire fee for the Kiama Pavilion to support the 2025 Kiama Show. The discussion, which highlighted “teething problems” in council processes, delved into policy nuances, the pavilion’s heritage, and the significance of community events.

“It’s remarkable that in a council meeting held only once a month, almost a third of the meeting time was spent debating the waiver of a $10,520 hire fee for the Kiama Show,” one observer noted. 

“While the show is an important community event, the extended discussion underscores a lack of streamlined processes for addressing such matters. Given the pressing challenges faced by the council, this level of debate for what seems like a straightforward decision raises questions about prioritisation and the efficient use of meeting time.”

The Kiama Show Society was facing a significant funding shortfall after receiving an unexpected invoice for the pavilion hire. Historically, the society had relied on in kind support from the council for such costs. 

Councillor Michael Cains strongly supported waiving the fee, stating: "The clue is in the name. It is the pavilion. And the Pavilion is not just some cute nod to history. It is the bedrock of Kiama’s heritage and culture. We have never charged the Show Society venue hire without at least a corresponding amount of funding to go with it, and I don’t propose that we start that precedent tonight."

Councillor Melinda Lawton echoed the importance of resolving this issue efficiently and proposed an amendment to the motion: “Can we also put on the record the need for a future meeting to be arranged with the Kiama Show Society to align funding requests and ensure this doesn’t come up again in the near future?”

This amendment was included, delegating the CEO Jane Stroud to organise discussions with the Show Society to clarify funding expectations and avoid similar issues.

The council ultimately voted unanimously to waive the fee. Councillors acknowledged the importance of the Kiama Show as a community event, which not only celebrates local heritage but also attracts visitors and competitors from across the state.

While the decision relieves financial pressure on the Show Society, the lengthy debate raises concerns about the council’s ability to prioritise and streamline its processes.

With the Kiama Show set to open this Friday, the resolution ensures the event can proceed without a financial burden, but it also serves as a reminder of the need for efficient governance.