Games price a big hurdle

By Shaun Inguanzo
EXPENSIVE Commonwealth Games tickets have prompted a Noble Park school to bring the event to its students because their low-income families can not afford to take them.
But Commonwealth Games officials have defended claims the event is too pricey for low-income families.
The debate comes amid further news that students across the region were deprived of school excursions to the Games because school buses were needed to transport the 4500 athletes taking part in the events.
Southvale Primary School in Springvale last week hosted its own miniature Commonwealth Games which was complete with opening and closing ceremonies, fun sports, 11 countries represented by students and a visit by Games athletes.
Southvale Primary School principal Sue Barford said many of the students were from low-income earning families that could not afford the Commonwealth Games experience.
“The cost is prohibitive and most parents can’t drive,” she said.
“Money is a big issue plus public transport can be quite costly, so it is not something (families) can easily do.”
Eumemmerring MP and shadow Commonwealth Games spokesman Gordon Rich-Phillips this week said while tickets were as cheap as $15, the extraordinary cost of more popular events had no doubt prevented their sale.
“Sixteen thousand Opening Ceremony tickets were available last week, and half a million (event tickets) were still available last week,” he said.
Mr Rich-Phillips said schools could have arranged excursions to Games events if holidays did not coincide with the period, giving students opportunities to pursue a sporting interest.
However, he said holidays were unavoidable because school buses were needed to transport the large number of athletes and tourists around Melbourne.
A Commonwealth Games spokeswoman said low-income families were catered for with 50 per cent of tickets in the lowest price category across all sports being available as family packages.
“In addition to this, there are a number of free events.”
The spokeswoman refused to comment on what would happen with unsold Games tickets, but said free tickets had already been given to students via competitions, including a Woolworth’s Bring The Kids initiative, which gave tickets away to 180 schools.
She said organisers were delighted with ticket sales so far.
“We have now sold 75 per cent of all Games tickets; more tickets than the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games and more tickets than the Turin Winter Olympics.”
Meanwhile, Ms Barford said the miniature Games was an overwhelming success, with the school’s 204 students divided into 11 Commonwealth countries whose cultures and traditions they studied. She said chief delegate of the Canadian team, Ross Outerbridge, and Canadian pole-vaulter Stephanie McCann visited the college last week to be a part of the miniature Games, after a student wrote to the Canadian Consulate in Melbourne. “It is exciting to think that a child who writes a letter to someone of importance can get a response. It is so rare,” she said.