Beach Party Rounds Council
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday March 19, 1992
Last Friday night, Bondi Beach sported a large red and white striped marquee containing 300 international computer sales representatives, who, after watching a mini surf carnival staged for their benefit, ate a three-course meal and danced to live music.
Over at Manly's Shelley Beach, a similar function was in progress. But while Manly Council's decision to hire out Shelley Beach attracted controversy, most people were unaware of what was taking place at Bondi.
The two events were linked: a tour company, ID Tours, was hosting 1,400 international sales representatives from the computer firm NCR (National Cash Register). The annual incentive convention was for the most successful sales people from three of the company's regions - Europe, Pacific, and LAMEA (Latin America, Middle East and Africa). The LAMEA group of 200 came to Bondi.
The difference between the beach functions was that in Manly, ID Tours applied to the council to put the function on themselves, so the council was given full details. At Bondi, the function was organised by the Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club , which, through its traditional links with the council, was able to gain council permission with few questions asked. No money was paid to the council.
Alderman Barbara Armitage, the Mayor of Waverley, said this week, however, that she approved the event, and she was happy to see the club receive a"donation". (Neither Ald Armitage nor the club would reveal how much the club earned for its efforts, although Ald Armitage said she believed it to be a relatively small amount.)
She commended the club for being entrepreneurial, and "not placing any more burden on the community" for its funding. The club, which had performed 900 rescues this season, always needed funds for new equipment, Ald Armitage said
Had it been ID Tours who applied to stage the event, Ald Armitage said, their application would possibly have been rejected. Mr Ray Smith, Waverley's deputy town clerk, said if the council were to approve a similar party, without the club's involvement, the council would charge a minimum fee of $700 for use of the beach.
As part of its fundraising activities, the surf club often hosts small groups of tourists, providing mock rescue demonstrations and perhaps a meal -"offering tourists a taste of Bondi", as the club's marketing manager, Mr Terry Ryan, puts it.
On this occasion, Mr Ryan asked the council if the club could erect a marquee on the sand, because it could not fit a group of 300 "tourists" in its premises. The council agreed, with the provision that the activities ceased at 10 pm.
The club, which pays an annual rent to Waverley Council of $2 , has"business through to 1995", with bookings from various tour companies, Mr Ryan said. He did not want to disclose the income the club receives from its tourist activities.
© 1992 Sydney Morning Herald
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