Apex Club 'fenced out' of running Masters Games bars

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2585 Camel Cup stubby 2LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – After 20 years of continuous involvement in the successful and incident free running of the Masters Games opening and closing ceremony bars, the Apex Club of Central Australia has been left with no choice but to make the decision to withdraw from this year’s games.
 
PHOTO: The Club has for many years been running the iconic Camel Cup in Alice Springs as a service project.
 
We were told by Licensing NT that in order to share the bars with the Alice Springs Golf Club, a fence would need to be erected down the middle of the opening and closing ceremony.
 
The only other option provided was for either club to take on both bars under one license and face major penalties in the case of a breach being identified – even if the offence was not committed by their club.
 
2585 Camel Cup 1Despite the best efforts of the Masters Games organisers a solution to this matter has not been found and Apex has now been “fenced out” of the games by bureaucratic nonsense.
 
With all of this taken into account we have made this difficult decision, which was reinforced with the recent announcement that possibly only light and mid-strength beer would be sold at the events.
 
This decision, in our view, would make the bars unviable and also expose volunteers to unpleasant situations, where patrons direct anger surrounding this decision at bar staff.
 
Apex will look forward to revisiting the prospect of doing the bars again when the expression of interest is released for the Master Games in 2020.
 
Ben Crawford
Public Officer and Life Member
Apex Club Of Central Australia
 
 
 

6 COMMENTS

  1. Why such despondency, “Ray”?
    The streets of Alice Springs are paved with gold if you have eyes to see.
    They need not be awash with the consequences of alcoholism.
    Turn the tap down (not off) and you will see how a great town can come back from fifty years of an uncapped flow.

  2. Russell, only once all alcohol has been banned will you and your mob be happy. There was no evidence at all that the consumers of alcohol at this event caused any of the social problems we put up with. This is evidenced by the decision to now allow full strength and udls to be sold. Alcohol as used by the competitors and visitors is a “social lubricant” used by adults at other social events all around the country. Having been involved in the Masters for many years, as an official and competitor, this proposed ban had the potential to make us the laughing stock of the country. Why come to the backwards games when people could choose from any other Masters event in the country, where they can enjoy a drink of their choice. The money the APX Club made every two years was a massive boost to the club, and was sent straight back to the community. Without the people coming due to these nanny state proposed restriction, it will be the community that suffers. Have the courage to actually target the section of the community that has the issue, rather than your blanket approach. Easily found by looking at hospital records, arrest records and court records. But then again its easier to blame everybody else than face the truth lest you seem racist. Read the update in this paper Russell. Looks like your arguments have lost their validity

  3. @ “Ray”. My argument for turning the tap down (not off, as you insinuate with your anonymous post), exposes your confusion, but it clarifies one point.
    It will be hypocritical for you to point to the Indigenous as being responsible for the town’s social problems again.
    While you busy yourself over being “the laughing stock of the country”, the hospital and police records continue to speak for themselves and show no sign of abating, due to what is a culture of alcoholism.
    It was the police who requested light and midstrength beer be served at this sporting event.
    As an attendee at last Friday’s National Police Remembrance Day, the names of those officers who were killed in the line of duty was sobering, yet they who we appoint to serve and protect are fobbed off.
    Justifying the capitulation on the economy and giving back to the “community” is evidence of your confusion, but as cultural tourism is the vogue, it will be interesting to see how long before you start referring to “the section of the community that has the issue” again.

  4. Russell, it is phenomenal that you are unable to understand basic concepts.
    1. It is not the people going the games opening and closing that cause the social issues. The police and hospital records that you speak of prove this.
    2. It is not hypocritical whatsoever to be honest as to the identity of the main perpetrators, this is called specific, not generalist observations. Sit in any session of Local Court and see the bulk of the accused, listen to the facts and tell me again which section of the community is most affected.
    3. The liquor commission were the ones who lambasted the police for their recommendation as it is not evidenced based and not consistent with other similar events around town.
    4. Your reference to police who lost their lives to prop up your discredited argument is a disgrace. There is no nexus between major events in this town and the loss of life by our front line defenders. Nobody has fobbed them off, I did however question the conditions they proposed, and were knocked back on. These sorts of decisions are made by senior police, not front line officers. Once again It is abhorrent you chose to use this argument.
    5. That a service club, performing the same role as they have since 1998, losing its biggest income earner proves that I am confused?
    6. There are other jurisdictions around the country, not just the NT, maybe visit a large event in one of those areas and see how alcohol is enjoyed responsibly. You will be surprised to know that it is done exactly the same as every other Masters Games we have here. That is by bar staff abiding by responsible service of alcohol and effective security removing potential troublemakers.
    7. Using my name is not being anonymous. For a number of reasons, including restrictions by my employer, I choose not to use my last name. My points are no less valid. Maybe you wish to stalk me on social media, I do not know, but maybe you should get over it.

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