Council supports World Rally Championship remaining on the Coffs Coast

The Australian leg of this year's World Rally Championship (WRC) will go ahead with sponsorship from the Coffs Harbour City Council.

In April, the Council unexpectedly voted down a motion to sponsor the WRC round, with Councillor Sally Townley calling for more transparency surrounding the event's financing.

Councillor Townley said she was also troubled by the fact that council General Manager Steve McGrath held executive positions within council and on the WRC board.

However, the Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce and local MP Andrew Fraser were critical of the move.

Amid concern that New Zealand was already mounting a challenge to take the 2017 event away from Coffs Harbour, the Council has agreed to continue its sponsorship of the event, although some councillors did express lingering concerns.

A Council motion at the end of April passed without the support of Councillors Townley and Nan Cowling.

Speaking after the vote, Councillor Townley stated "I'd be happy to support the rally into the future but we must do it right, and I'm not satisfied that the dual executive role is the best way forward.

"We would be better served if the General Manager acted purely as an emissary to the rally without constraint.”

Councillor Townley said she wanted to see the event's finances made available to the public so it could better understand where the money was going.

Image courtesy of Rally Australia.

20th April 2016 - RALLY AUSTRALIA HIGHLIGHTS SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS THAT WRC EVENT BRINGS TO THE COFFS COAST

17th April 2016 - COFFS HARBOUR COUNCIL TURNS ITS BACK ON WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSORSHIP

16th September 2015 - COFFS WORLD RALLY ATTRACTS OVER 54,000 FANS

6th August 2015 - EVENTS TO ATTRACT VISITORS TO THE COFFS COAST