Community fireworks over council ban

By Kelly Yates
A CASEY councillor will set off a bang at next week’s council meeting when he calls for the blanket ban on fireworks at all events in the City of Casey to be reviewed.
River Gum Ward councillor Wayne Smith told the News this week that many community groups were up in arms about the ban.
Cr Smith dubbed the ban as “ridiculous”, saying that each applicant should be considered on their own merits and safety procedures.
“I can’t recall any accidents or injuries that had occurred from fireworks let off at Casey events. There’s no need to ban something that hasn’t been a problem,” Cr Smith said. “The only issue I’m aware of is animals in the area, like dogs, and their owners should prepare them prior to the events.”
Numerous letters from the City of Casey have been sent out to community groups that had applied for a fireworks display permit this year.
Cr Smith said many of the councillors had no idea about the letters.
In a letter to Marg Lenders from the Tooradin Foreshore Committee of Management, Casey’s former arts and leisure manager Robyn Bowen said that in light of the threat to Casey residential properties and open spaces during the bushfire season, the council is declining all proposals to discharge fireworks.
As stated in the letter, she said all fireworks applications received by the City of Casey during the fire danger period would not be approved.
Ms Lenders said she was devastated when she received the letter from Casey Council. “The fireworks display at the Christmas on the Foreshore night is one of the biggest attractions,” she said. “The fireworks are let off over the salt water and are not likely to cause a fire, which is the council’s main concern.”
The issue will be discussed at the council meeting on Tuesday 6 October.