March 27, 2022
You have to love a local show, particularly when the organisers have had to overcome hurdles which have forced other shows to cancel or postpone their 2022 events.
The Goomeri Show, which had the theme “Love Local”, has been hailed as a success despite the “green tick” vaccination mandate as well as the recent floods which had the town cut off on multiple occasions and smashed many local producers.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions all patrons, competitors, exhibitors, volunteers and Show Society members had to be double-vaccinated.
The unfairness of this mandate, when other events held at showgrounds don’t have this requirement, was highlighted by both Goomeri Show Society president David Pitstock and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien at the official opening ceremony for the 81st Goomeri Show.
“It’s been a difficult year with volunteers. It’s been a particularly difficult time. Remember last year? We had a great show, we had a lot of people here. We went under a COVID plan,” an emotional Mr Pitstock said.
“For some unknown reason, (this year) our you beaut people in the hierarchy in Brisbane, and our particular Premier, has decided that show societies have to be vaxxed.
“We can run a campdraft, we can run a market … we can have a caravan park in the showground but as soon as we run a show, we have to be double-vaxxed.
“This means that every exhibitor, every volunteer and every person that comes here is being segregated from the rest of the community.
“We are supposed to be all one. Our forefathers fought so that we would have an equality in this place, that we have democracy and what have we got? We’ve got people sitting around and splitting us up.
“Why can we do something one year and we can’t do it the next?
“It’s amazing, and unfortunately the government won’t even listen to our societies.
“It makes it very difficult … even the local Gympie Show is not running, the Murgon Show is not running, Jandowae Show this weekend is not running.
“People across the place can’t get the volunteers because of this great ruling.
“I’m sorry, I’m not having a political speech but I just need to get it out of my system like everybody else. It’s a pity that there’s not a lot of people around listening to us, who will fight for us as well.”
Mr O’Brien, who officially opened the show, said every word that Mr Pitstock had said was true.
“I believe that you should be vaccinated but I believe that if you choose not to be vaccinated, you shouldn’t be penalised,” Mr O’Brien said.
“I understand the delicacies and the intricacies of this but I recently crossed the floor in the nation’s Parliament to bring on a debate about this very issue.
“It was very disappointing that all of my colleagues were standing on the other side and that I was the only one with George Christensen voting to debate these things.”
Despite the mandate restriction, there appeared to be a good crowd at the show on the Saturday afternoon, with a large dog show, spectators watching the chainsaw races, a strong turnout in the stud cattle and prime beef competitions, and the equestrian events proving as popular as ever.
The Stockman’s Challenge took over the Phyllis Hopf Arena with spectators watching from the canteen area while the bar seemed to be doing a brisk business.
The pavilion was also packed with entries in the various competitions.
The show was topped off with a fireworks display on Saturday evening.
- External link: Petition To End Green Tick Mandate For Agricultural Shows
- Related article: Council Joins Mandate Protest
