Council decide on the future of holding NRL matches in Dubbo

That was the cost Dubbo Regional Council suffered from the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canberra Raiders NRL match held on Sunday, May 22.

Due to this loss, it was decided in closed council on June 27, that council consider the delivery of an NRL event in a multi-year agreement with an NRL Club and any sponsorship funds generated by Dubbo Regional Council are retained by Dubbo Regional Council.

The negotiations with NRL clubs will seek better community access to players and the mayor and chief executive officer commence negotiations with NRL clubs and provide a final report to council on the outcome of negotiations.

Mayor Mathew Dickerson said it cost council $350,000 to have an NRL game played in the town and they were lucky to have state government funding pay $150,000 towards this fee.

Council paid the remaining $200,000.

"People assume the NRL send a team out to support regional areas out of the goodness of their hearts but that's not how it works," he said.

While council made a loss from the visit, the economy saw $2.8 million injected into local businesses.

"If we don't get funding from the state government, that would have been a $220,000 loss and that's much tougher, so we need to decide if this is the best way to use ratepayers money," he said.

"It's all well and good for a council to say 'Aren't I great, I've got an NRL game' but you can do anything if you've got the money...Billy Joel is coming to Australia and if you spend a lot of money you can get him to come here, but is that the best way to spend ratepayers money?

"My first response to that is- no, there is much better things we could be spending our money on."

Councillor Joshua Black said it was a successful game of football, with plenty of tourists and Dubbo residents attending the match.

"There were plenty of people and from outside of town as well, bringing money to Dubbo and supporting the businesses and the general community," he said.

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"I note there was a $67,000 loss on the event, what we really need is the state government to chip in the $150,000 for the next game, like they've done for the last two.

"We can probably weather a $70,000 loss but when it starts getting up to $220,000 we have to start asking a few questions."

Cr Vicki Ethridge wasn't deterred by the loss of money.

"The fact is brought $2.8 million into the pockets of our businesses in town I think outweighs or doesn't hurt as much, the event was still a total success," she said.

Deputy mayor Richard Ivey agreed with Cr Ethridge, stating that the match brought "tremendous benefits" to the region but he wouldn't be alright with losing $220,000.

"I'd be very keen for council to be able to do whatever it can do to try to influence how or make changes whereby that loss to council is reduced but the benefits are maintained," he said.

"I guess through council working parties liaising with the Rabbitohs, and with the NRL, hopefully some changes are made where the losses could be reduced."