EXCLUSIVE: The World Pride street rainbow that cost taxpayers over $250,000: ‘You can celebrate community issues without wasting stacks of cash’
- A giant painted rainbow in Central Sydney cost $255,000
- Critics question whether it was a good use of taxpayer’s money
A giant rainbow painted on a city street to celebrate Sydney‘s World Pride event cost taxpayers over a quarter of a million dollars.
The paint job, described as a ‘giant LGBTIQA+ Pride flag’ by council bosses, runs along George Street in downtown Sydney.
It was funded through the NSW Government’s ‘Streets as Spaces’ programme and was painted as part of Sydney’s hosting of the World Pride festival between February 17 and March 5.
The ‘giant LGBTIQA+ Pride flag’ in George St, Sydney cost over a quarter of a million dollars
The City of Sydney council received $1million dollars from the ‘Streets as Spaces’ fund, with $255,000 of that spent on the George Street paint project, according to information obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) laws.
But critics have questioned whether it was a suitable use of taxpayer’s money.
Angela Vithoulkas, a business owner and former City of Sydney councillor, said: ‘We should be respectful of every dollar that goes into the coffers of state government because it comes off the back of hard-working, New South Wales Australians.
‘I’m pretty sure if I was the family who has trouble paying electricity, putting food on the table and paying rent right now I would be pretty upset about that $255,000.’
The Pride flag is waved as people march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge during World Pride celebrations last month
Ms Vithoulkas said her biggest concern was that ‘they don’t consult local businesses’.
‘In my three decades of operating in the city I have no memory of ever being consulted – and that includes my 10 years as an elected member of the council,’ she said.
‘You never get consulted – you turn up one day and there it is.’
Ms Vithoulkas acknowledged that World Pride injected millions into Sydney’s economy but asked: ‘Is it the wisest and smartest way to spend money locally? Why isn’t there a panel of those people on the ground who can have a say on how that money is spent.’
The project, which is part of plans to turn George Street into a pedestrian-only space, created an extra 5,900sq m of new space for people walking and socialising, according to the council.
‘High-quality road marking paint will turn grey into red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, black, brown, white and pink,’ read a City of Sydney press release from January.
It is unclear whether the $255,000 paint job is temporary and, if so, what the cost will be to remove it.
Brian Marlow, President of the Australian Taxpayer’s Alliance, said: ‘At a time when small businesses are struggling, and everyday Aussies are feeling the burden of high inflation and sky-high cost of living prices, the NSW government is throwing huge stacks of taxpayer funds just to paint a rainbow flag.’
He added: ‘It’s a bit rich – you can celebrate community issues without wasting stacks of taxpayer cash.’
The City of Sydney council has been approached for comment.
