News

Red Bull Air Race 2014

The decision by Tourism WA to decline the invitation to submit a bid for the Red Bull Air Race has been met with disappointment by the Events Industry Association.

President of the EIA, Neil Campbell, said today that although the decision was understandable in light of the event owners not being able to guarantee international television coverage it was regrettable that WA would not once again host an event that has previously been one of the highlights of the event calendar in Perth.

"We are aware that when spending taxpayers' dollars, the government needs to be able to deliver a high level of economic impact however we would like to see greater emphasis on the social and community benefits of events rather than solely on the economic and tourism benefits" Mr Campbell said this morning.

"What we are now looking forward to is working with Eventscorp to develop a series of events that have benefits to not only the tourism industry but the events industry as well".

The Events Industry Association is keen to promote events that will mark Western Australia as a dynamic place to live, not just an exciting tourism destination.

"With thousands of people arriving from interstate and overseas to live in WA and work in the resources industry, we need Tourism WA and Eventscorp to work with the people who own, manage and run events in this state to assist our industry sector to remain viable and grow" he said.

For more information call Neil Campbell on 08 61425266 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PERTH ARENA OPENING

EIA MEMBERS FIRST IN THE (BACK) DOOR

Concert and Corporate Productions and AAA Production Services were the first two production companies to roll their trucks into the brand new Perth Arena earlier late last week and waiting for them were the crew from Event Personnel Australia, also a member of the EIA.

EIA President and Managing Director of AAA Production Services, Neil Campbell said today that after lobbying Government to have the iconic venue built and sitting on the technical panel that started the design process, it was fitting that EIA members were the first to load in their equipment.

"We're very proud of the role we (the Association) played in bringing this venue to the people of Perth" he said. "It’s a vital step in the continuing growth of our vibrant and maturing city".

Members of the EIA will have the opportunity to work in the venue and benefit from the spin off with accommodation at our hotels and increased tourism in the form of patrons from out of the metropolitan area.

"We need to ensure that the entertainment sector stays strong in Perth and the Arena is going to ensure that we can hold concerts all year round".

The Events Industry Association is the peak body for events in Western Australia and its mission is to ensure Western Australia continues to have a strong, safe and sustainable industry.

For more information, please contact the Events Industry Association on 0421 966 232

Kimberley UltraMarathon

EVENTS INDSUTRY ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR BETTER STANDARDS

In the aftermath of the ill-fated Kimberley UltraMarathon and the damning report handed down by a parliamentary inquiry last week, the Events Industry Association is calling for changes to make it safer to run large events.

President Neil Campbell said today “Our members would like to ensure that the events they are managing and working on are safe and professionally organised. International event producers and state and local government authorities should be held to the same standards as our local members”. 

Mr Campbell called for the Minister for Tourism to meet with representatives from the EIA to work towards forming an overarching body to examine all major events. “Too many events are being run without proper consultation with emergency services and other stakeholders”, he said. “We need to have a body who can sign off on major events such as large gatherings and those with increased risk factors . We need to ensure all the boxes are ticked for all events – including having a properly written and managed risk management plan.”

The Association called on Tourism WA and Eventscorp to listen to local event producers who have lobbied for many years for the events industry to be separated from the tourism industry and to have members of the events industry consulted when planning event calendars and major events.

The criteria for receiving funding for many events through Eventscorp is heavily weighted in favour of tourism opportunities, not whether the event will benefit the people of Western Australia and our local businesses. The Association believes that the impact of events, whether they are managed by a community group, a local government authority or a commercial event manager are the same and therefore the standards and procedures employed should be the same.

The Events Industry Association the peak body for the events industry in Western Australia and is comprised of professionals from all areas of event production.