Riot police called into Rally OZ

[Razor]

Lets have a look shall we:

• Impact on threatened flora and fauna including koalas and species classified as endangered or vulnerable
The chance of hitting koalas is really rare. They have more chance at hitting a roo, which is considered a pest in large numbers.
• Use of National Parks for a car racing event
Well, if rally cars shouldn't be in National Parks, what about road cars and people full stop? (Including acid filled hippies)
• Inconsistency of this event in an area identified as:
A bio-diversity hotspot (one of only 15 in Australia)
An iconic landscape equivalent to Uluru and Kakadu.
Um, Mount Panorama is an iconic landscape, should we enforce a policy that no one races there too?

Economic Concerns
• Inflation of estimated economic returns
Not really. Does estimated economic returns for say the Bathurst 1000 always been inflated?
• No consideration of real costs
Real costs were taken into consideration. Normal people don't live in la-la land.
• Potential damage to growing eco-tourism industry
Most tourism would be thanks to the WRC tour
• Inconsistency of this event with the recognition of the importance of eco-tourism and nature-based tourism as the key priority in economic development for the area.
Isn't the FIA takes the enviroment into consideration during any form of racing?
Social Concerns
• Increased alcohol- and violence-related anti-social behaviour
Now how does rallying promote violence and anti social behaviour? It's one of the most peaceful sports I've seen.
• Copy-cat driving
How can you slide a road legal Ford Focus on muddy grounds?
• Increased driving-related deaths and injuries
Even a brainless Vulcan knows that WRC cars are built to race on low grip surfaces in a safe manner.
• Creation of social division in the local community.
The only social division I see up near Ninbin is "Who is sane" and "Who is acid filled, stoned hippy"

Political Concerns:
• Secret deals between government agencies and a private company
Here we go once again with consiparcy theories.
• Lack of local consultation
Wasn't there a ton of audits on the locations
• Subsidies to the event from the public purse
If it's to promote motorsport, I'm all for the payments from the tax payer
• Inappropriate relationships between developers and approving authorities.
Are they having affairs know?

I think Leonard Nimoy/Mr.Spock should sum all of our feelings to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbg6xoS3K3U

[zac510]

It's a shame that the motorsport scene, despite its large numbers or spectators and participants, can rarely rustle up enough collaboration to defend against nutjobs like these.

[smokin'joe]

Originally Posted by zac510

It's a shame that the motorsport scene, despite its large numbers or spectators and participants, can rarely rustle up enough collaboration to defend against nutjobs like these.

when has the majority been capable of getting the media to see their side on anything?? the media over here havn't acknowledged a Kiwi as being in front of the PWRC field, but did run the protestor issue (as part of sports news??).
somewhere along the way, there must be a rally traitor in their midst, Yellow flags were waved by the protestors to slow the cars down during a stage, as well as a rolling road-block was used to ensure the event did not run to schedule.
from what i gather, it was a crap event anyway. most of the stages were extremely short, run twice, and with too much touring inbetween them.

[mac]

Apparently a couple of months ago, these same wackos turned up to protest and pickett a Peugeot media launch drive program that went through the township of Uki.

By all reports they were somewhat embarrassed when they realised that the information they had received (ie. Peugeot was there conducting activity surrounding the rally) was proven to be completely and utterly wrong!

Still... at least they didn't waste a day of leave to be there...

[retro]

looks like the protesters win...

Protesters ruined rally:

Ben Dillaway | September 7th, 2009


RALLY Australia's future on the Tweed is in doubt after the sport's top driver -- world champion Sebastien Loeb -- called for the event to be moved following his win yesterday.

The Citroen superstar, who is now only one point behind Mikko Hirvonen as he chases his sixth world title, said he did not want to return if the event would continue to be plagued by protesters.

"If the people do not want us to be here, I prefer not to come," he said.

"I want to go to some place where the people enjoy to see us.

"It was a race I didn't enjoy, for that I prefer it moves. I am doing my job, so I don't deserve this."

While he wants the race to be moved, Loeb said it was not up to him.

"I think you have to ask the population if they want us to come.

"For us it was a nice place, a nice rally and good organisation. Everything was good but we feel that some people are not happy to see us come here.

"When you see some signs it is not nice to because we have to come here, it is our job, we're doing our sport. It is one round of our championship.

"If there are a lot of people not happy to see us, I think we have to move somewhere else because we can understand they don't like rally."


Stobart driver Henning Solberg, who finished seventh overall, believes the region has lost the rally.

"I'm sure the organisers will find a good place next time," he said.

"With all this protesting I don't think this a place I want to come back to.

"You get the finger every kilometre, so it is not so good. There are so many people out there -- the way they behave is not a good way.

"It was a not pleasant rally to race. It is sad they are like that."

On Friday two stages of the rally had to be cancelled after protesters put drivers' lives at risk by placing boulders across the road and hurling rocks as cars passed.

Protesters also formed rolling blockades along the transport roads to slow the drivers between stages while one man stood on the road and stopped four-time Australian rally champions Neal Bates and Coral Taylor.

The protests continued yesterday with hundreds from the No Rally Group lining the road through Uki and protesting in front of the Service Park during the podium ceremony.

The rally, which moves to New Zealand next year, is scheduled to be held on the Tweed every second year until 2017.

If it was moved, it would be a massive loss for the region as the five events are expected to pump more than $100 million into the economy.

Hearing about the drivers' comments, No Rally Group spokesman Scott Sledge declared victory, saying this would be the 'first and only' rally held in the region.

"I really hope they reconsider this because there are places for motor sport. Everything has its own place and this is the wrong place for this activity," he said.

Rally organising committee chairman Garry Connelly said they would need to assure the drivers they were loved.

"That's sad if they felt people did not want them here," he said.

"I can tell you the people of this region wanted it before the rally and I bet now they want it even more."

Mr Connelly said the rally wuold return in 2011 but the route may change.

"It'll be in NSW and it will probably be here. I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be.

"But what roads will be used will be decided by the organising committee."

btw Loeb has had his win taken off him for a technical irregularity.

[mac]

Fools.

[retro]

Originally Posted by mac

Fools.

[NewsStalker]

Originally Posted by Razor

Lets have a look shall we:

• Use of National Parks for a car racing event
Well, if rally cars shouldn't be in National Parks, what about road cars and people full stop? (Including acid filled hippies)

Road cars are not generally permitted within National Parks te way rally cars are.

• Inconsistency of this event in an area identified as:
A bio-diversity hotspot (one of only 15 in Australia)
An iconic landscape equivalent to Uluru and Kakadu.
Um, Mount Panorama is an iconic landscape, should we enforce a policy that no one races there too?

Mount Panorama is only iconic to racing fans - the to the general public it is a country town that, once a year, is inhabited by racing cars and drunken fools at the top of the mountain.

Economic Concerns
• Inflation of estimated economic returns
Not really. Does estimated economic returns for say the Bathurst 1000 always been inflated?

Apart from the bad English making this hard to follow - trying to reoly on Bathurst is not going to be very successful as an argument - no one doubts Bathurst as an event is successful, but if you really want to make like for like comparisons, try comaring events such as the F1 GP ($45m in the hole last year??); this years Homebush (how much is the NSW govt plying into that event?) Economically viable? hmmm.

• No consideration of real costs
Real costs were taken into consideration. Normal people don't live in la-la land.

Real people were probably not even consulted.

• Potential damage to growing eco-tourism industry
Most tourism would be thanks to the WRC tour

That has to go down as one of the funniest quotes of the week.

• Inconsistency of this event with the recognition of the importance of eco-tourism and nature-based tourism as the key priority in economic development for the area.
Isn't the FIA takes the enviroment into consideration during any form of racing?

The FiA are concerned only with getting their events up and running and picking up the sanctioning fees

• Copy-cat driving
How can you slide a road legal Ford Focus on muddy grounds?

You probably can't - but many others try.

• Increased driving-related deaths and injuries
Even a brainless Vulcan knows that WRC cars are built to race on low grip surfaces in a safe manner.

The average non-rally follower wouldn't have a clue about this - probably most motor sport followers who don't follow rallying wouldn't necessairly know it either. Besides - what has this response got to do with the stated 'driving-related deaths and injuries'?

Political Concerns:
• Secret deals between government agencies and a private company
Here we go once again with consiparcy theories.

Every meeting and deal made between the WRC, FIA, NSW Govt and local govt's has been made public then has it? Any links?

• Lack of local consultation
Wasn't there a ton of audits on the locations

Probably not and, if they were, they certainly aren;'t going to be rfeleased if they go against any aspect of holding the rally.

• Subsidies to the event from the public purse
If it's to promote motorsport, I'm all for the payments from the tax payer

Just as many non-motor sport followers would be against if. Actually, probably a hell of a lot more would be against govt funding for motor sport of any type.

[MRJUCY]

Damn I should have gone what could be better then watching motorsport & cops beating hippies.

[chavez]

I must admit if the stages do go through the National Park then that is a cause of concern.

I also don't like governments making secret deals with private organisations on the grounds of "commercial in confidence".

However any attempt to stop the event by any other means than peaceful should not be tolerated.

[Gaz170]

Originally Posted by Razor

Lets have a look shall we:


Social Concerns
• Increased alcohol- and violence-related anti-social behaviour.........

That's true! Rock throwing protesters are definitely anti-social and should be locked up.

[PVDA]

Which rock have you guys been living under??

Rallys run in "Parks" all the time.

And you can drive through most parks, it's just certain roads (tracks) are not normally open to the public.

Most Park Rangers like rallies going through as it gets responsible people driving around the area for months prior scouting for roads and preparing for the event which helps keep the idiot element under control.

[retro]

linky...

REPCO Rally Australia 4-Day Attendance Tops 70,000

"It was also amazing how many private residences along the rally route were having front-yard parties to watch the cars go by. We have no way of knowing what those numbers were, but they would certainly add significantly to the total and from what we understand in many cases the visitors came from outside the region.”

[mac]

I have it!

A week out from the 2011 event, the cops should go around to every single protesters' house (or teepee or whatever) and conduct a search for contraband substances...

I'm sure they would find enough "evidence" to keep them locked away for the duration of the event.

[Aarrgh8]

I have just returned from a week following the Repco WRC rally. Like all big events, it had its share of people who were against it, and as a first such event, it had its teething problems, but it was overwhelmingly a success. The protesters were there, but apart from a very few extremists, they were peaceful and good natured. Yes, there was a stage cancelled because of rocks placed on the road, and Hirvonen's car running first on the road was hit with a rock, but there was no drama. The organisers cancelled that stage and moved on.

I think the headlines about cars being "pelted with stones", and "riot police called in" used a fair bit of poetic licence. With the NSW government backing the event, and knowing there was a 'No Rally' group making it clear they would be protesting, the riot police were on hand. They were at every stage, along with regular police on trailbikes, in 4WDs and in the air in the Polair chopper. It was probably overkill just to handle the longhaired peaceniks of Nimbin and Mullumbimby, but the cops were good natured and easygoing, and had the support of everyone I talked to.

To anyone on here who hasn't seen WRC cars in full flight: It's something you just have to do. TV doesn't do them justice. Loeb, Sordo, Lattvala, Hirvonen, Solberg etc. are IMHO the best drivers to watch in motorsport in any category anywhere. The NSW Northern Rivers region is a great place to see them, and despite the protester's efforts and concerns, the rally has been run and won, the roads are fine, there is no rubbish lying around, the flora and fauna are fine, and life goes on.

I have no problem with people's rights to protest, but these people are more NIMBY protesters than their supposed concern for the environment. They drive cars (most of their cars that I saw are more environmentally infriendly than most, blowing smoke and unburnt fuel), and they live in houses using plenty of wood and stone and plastic, they wear cotton from farms that do more harm to the environment than rally cars, they use paper, and use electricity from coal-fired power stations, etc, etc. Most of these people spend their lives being anti lots of things, and having rallycars in 'their' environment was probably enough provocation to get them away from their pottery wheels and meditation groups and out to meet us friendly motorsport people. The great majority of the locals were right behind the rally, and I heard "best thing to happen here for a long time" so many times around Kyogle, Casino, Lismore, Murwillumbah etc. that I lost count.

Pity the results are going to be decided by penalties, appeals and protests with the FIA, but that's another story. It was a great event, and despite the headlines, the protesters were about 1% of it.

[GTRMagic]

Sounds like a great weekend Aarrgh8

[retro]

link...

Rally protesters overkill with road kill

Ben Dillaway | September 8th, 2009


THEY went to war with Rally Australia, claiming the event would wipe out endangered animals like the giant barred frog, spotted-tailed quoll and long-nosed potoroo.

However, the protesters that plagued the Tweed rally have been left with egg on their face as none of these creatures wound up as road kill.

The only damage done was to the event's future with the world's best drivers saying they did not want to return after protesters put their lives at risk by placing boulders across the track and hurling rocks at passing cars.

While data was still being collated yesterday, environmental scientist Dr Stephen Phillips said it appeared less than 10 birds -- a mix of magpies and butcher birds -- were the only wildlife killed during the event that covered 344km of competitive special stages in the Tweed and Kyogle shires.

"It's less than normally would be run over on the roads," he said.

"The impact has been very, very minor."

Tweed councillor Katie Milne, who launched legal action to prevent the rally going ahead and faces losing her seat if she is ordered to pay about $40,000 in court costs for her failed bid to get an injunction, could not be contacted for comment last night.


Spokesman for protest body No Rally Group Scott Sledge also could not be contacted last night.

Chairman of the Rally Australia Board Alan Evans said the event -- round 10 of the FIA World Rally Championship -- attracted more than 70,000 people over its four-day duration, more than double than expected.

"It was an extremely successful weekend," said Mr Evans.

"The overwhelming support of the community was extremely gratifying and we have been getting excellent reports from local businesses about how well they did."

He said the board would need to communicate the crowd figures to the rally drivers who told The Bulletin that they did not feel like they were wanted here.

"If the people do not want us to be here, I prefer not to come," said five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb at the end of the race.

"I want to go to some place where the people enjoy to see us.

"It was a race I didn't enjoy, for that I prefer it moves."

Mr Evans said he was not worried about Loeb's comments, dismissing them as a translation issue.

"You have to remember for some of the drivers English is not their first language," he said.

"They were very happy with the response they got from the crowd and the event itself.

"I'm extremely optimistic we will have the event again."

The protesters had also claimed the event would create copycat hooning, however Superintendent Michael Kenny said that could not have been further from the truth with only one driver arrested for hooning.

"That's typically for any weekend around here," he said.

Supt Kenny said charges were also laid for offences including offensive conduct, malicious damage, and drink-driving.

[Average Punter]

Funny.
Now the dust has settled (literally) it appears that some of the "rock throwing" stories were only hearsay anyway...

quote:
REPORTS of environmental protestors throwing rocks at cars to disrupt the World Rally Championships in NSW last week, which led to the cancellation to two 

stages of the race, now appear to be false.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/ca...0909-fhna.html

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by retro's link

Tweed councillor Katie Milne, who launched legal action to prevent the rally going ahead and faces losing her seat if she is ordered to pay about $40,000 in court costs for her failed bid to get an injunction, could not be contacted for comment last night.

Gee I hope than happens and should happen more often as it might just stop people wasting the courts time with these sort of legal actions.

[cptkablamo]

I hardly believe the falsifying of the rock throwing issue...it would have squashed a lot earlier than this if that were the case. I believe more that organisers see fines on the horizon. EDIT: I also think that the green groups involved in the protest did not sanction the rock throwing but unrelated thugs...

But in any case I spent the weekend there and had a great time. 90% of the communities were well behind the event and supported it very well. Naturally the event has a few kinks to work out for next time but I would say it was a very successful event, even considering the protests.

I look forward to when the S2000 (or similar) are the norm and figure I might have to try to get to an IRC round at some stage...

[Crash Test]

Originally Posted by Average Punter

Funny.
Now the dust has settled (literally) it appears that some of the "rock throwing" stories were only hearsay anyway...

quote:
REPORTS of environmental protestors throwing rocks at cars to disrupt the World Rally Championships in NSW last week, which led to the cancellation to two 

stages of the race, now appear to be false.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/ca...0909-fhna.html

I can tell you that is just plain wrong, because at least one competitor had a window broken by a rock thrown. More on it soon...

[retro]

this makes interesting reading...

The green debate is grey area

[NewsStalker]

Originally Posted by Crash Test

I can tell you that is just plain wrong, because at least one competitor had a window broken by a rock thrown. More on it soon...

Which is wrong? The throwing of the rocks or, as the report stated, the reports of the 'enviromental protestors' throwing the rocks?

[Aarrgh8]

I don't know how many competitors had windows broken by rocks thrown by protesters, but I'd say the high end of the total number of windows broken by protester's rocks would be up around one - maybe. I did see a broken window in one of the WRC Ford Focuses, and there was considerable talk about it being hit by a rock - until the driver was interviewed and told everyone that it was broken when he slid into a letterbox.

[Crash Test]

'Someone' threw a rock through one of the rear windscreens of one the Australian competitors, detectives out there could probably figure out who it was, but I'm waiting to talk to them today to find out if the nitty gritty, and that if the BS is for public consumption. Put basically, some of the antics and rolling roadblocks weren't entirely intelligent... Stay tuned to this station...