On Sunday November 4th, Pride WA Co-President Dean Cahill and Treasurer Iosefo Tapusoa met with members of Perth-based queer press to inform them of Pride’s current financial situation. After reviewing finances post-Pride festivities, Pride WA announced at the meeting that it estimates it has incurred a total loss of $36,000 for the year.
Pride’s two main events – Fairday and the Pride Party – were responsible for much of the loss. Pride lost approximately $27,000 at Fairday and another $23,000 at the Pride Party at Belmont Race Course. Fairday, in particular, was more expensive this year with the total budget for the event coming to $110,000, a rise from $57,000 from the first Fairday in Russell Square in 2003. The rise in costs is due in part to increased security needs from the changes made to Fairday’s liquor license.
Pride has partially blamed poor weather on Fairday and Parade night for decreased revenues. In addition, membership numbers, which OUTinPerth believes to be approximately 360 this year, are down from previous years.
Pride has since announced that they will hold a special Xmas Fundraising Ball to raise month. In addition, they have called a Special General Meeting on December 19th at Lotteries House, 2 Delhi St, West Perth at 7pm. The time and location are still to be confirmed. Current Pride members are invited to attend the meeting and participate in a discussion of how to get Pride out of debt.
As for the deficit, Mr Cahill said, ‘It’s happened. We’re not going to bail and leave it. We are going to work and we are going to work damn hard to ensure that everything gets back on track.’
Between now and the SGM meeting on December 19th, Mr Cahill said the Pride committee would not be sitting back, but would be holding events to try to cut into the current deficit.
OUTinPerth will be reporting further on this story as it develops.
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