A Greens councillor has blasted the huge cost of hosting Christmas celebrations and their harmful impact on the environment.
Rafaela Pandolfini said some of the funds set aside for her council’s annual Christmas events in Sydney’s east should be used to create a multicultural festival.
The cost of displaying Christmas trees, lights and wreaths will cost the Randwick council $524,725 this year, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Cr Pandolfini has called for $300,000 from the Christmas budget to be redirected towards setting up an event that can be attended by locals of different faiths.
‘Half a million is an astronomical amount of money to be spending on decorations and wreaths when not everyone recognises or celebrates Christmas,’ Cr Pandolfini told the newspaper.
‘There’s also a cost on the environment because Christmas decorations go up and down for a couple of weeks’.
Cr Pandolfini told Daily Mail Australia she never suggested that the council should ban the annual celebrations.
‘What’s there to understand?’ she said.
Randwick Greens Councillor Rafaela Pandolfini (pictured) said some of the funding for the council’s annual Christmas events should be used to create a multicultural festival
‘It’s money that doesn’t need to be spent given the cost of living and the businesses that are struggling to get by’.
The council hosts the popular Coogee Carols and Coogee Fireworks show, one of Sydney’s largest Christmas events.
The cost of hosting Christmas events in the Randwick LGA has jumped significantly this year, compared to the $135,000 allocated for festivities in 2023.
An extra $128,000 will also go towards a mayoral Christmas party.
An additional $128,125 has also been set for a council run Christmas party to be hosted by mayor Philipa Veitch to thank community members for their contributions.
A further $61,500 has also been allocated to fund Christmas concerts for locals.
Ms Pandolfini said the money doesn’t need to be spent due to the ongoing cost of living crisis affecting families and businesses. Pictured are festive revellers at Coogee Beach
Liberal Councillor Daniel Rosenfeld doesn’t support any cuts to the Christmas budget.
‘I think especially this year it will be good to have some Christmas cheer and celebration because a lot of people have been doing it tough with the cost of living crisis,’ he said.
A Randwick Council spokesman said that the funding increase will allow more Christmas events to b staged across the local government area.
The spokesman said the decorations and festivities this year will be bigger and better.
Daily Mail Australia contacted the council for further comment.
The cost of displaying Christmas trees, lights and wreaths as part of this year’s festivities will cost the council more than $500,000 (stock image)
