HOPE of reviving the infamous Margaret River mainbreak concert was all but lost as councillors refused an application for the event in last week’s Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council meeting.

Proponents Supersonic Enterprises, the organisers of the 2006 concert when performer Ben Lee was hit by a glass bottle, were seeking to revive the event and combine surf art, surf movies and music in a festival format.

It was proposed to run from Wednesday, April 9 to Saturday, April 12, to coincide with the upcoming international surfing competition, but councillors said the proponents did not have enough time to adequately prepare for the event, which was to cater for up to 3000 people.

Shire officers recommended the application be passed with conditions but Councillor Jenny McGregor made an alternative motion to reject the proposal altogether.

She said the proposal was inconsistent and was lacking important information, particularly in regards to crowd control.

She said the lack of detail in the report made her nervous for the residents who live in close proximity to the Gloucester Park concert site with regards to noise disturbance, property damage and personal safety.

“I’m strongly against this,” she said.

“We would be running the risk of putting our community at risk.”

She suspected Supersonic Enterprises were withholding details about the event from Council, such as the music, which would help councillors anticipate the type of crowd that would be attracted.

“They would know that type of information,” Cr McGregor said.

“To not provide that information to council is poor.”

Ms McGregor was also concerned about the stretch the event would cause to council, police, emergency services and the hospital, none of who were approached for consultation by the proponents.

“To not speak to LEMAC (Local Emergency Management Advisory Committee) is just outrageous,” she said.

“With all the trouble of past concerts I would expect the proponent to have crossed its t’s and dotted it’s i’s (on this proposal).”

Cr Rosemary Taylor, agreeing with Cr McGregor to refuse the application, was perplexed by the organisers’ decision to bring a proposal back to council with little or no change from the application that was refused in November 2006.

“I can’t see anything that has changed since the last time this came to council,” she said.

Cr Taylor said she didn’t believe Gloucester Park was a good venue with the aftermath of the last Mainbreak Concert including syringes on the oval, sports facilities churned up and local elderly residents being frightened by rowdy concert goers.

“I don’t believe this is the right site,” she said.

“Find another site and we’ll look at it.”

Cr Ray Colyer agreed the proposal failed to adequately address some issues but said there was no harm in letting the proponents come back to Council on March 20 with a more detailed application.

“The promoters know they can’t get away with what they did before,” he said.

He understood the Supersonic Enterprises had looked for an alternative site but did not find anything suitable.

Shire president Steve Harrison concurred with Cr Colyer, saying LEMAC was still open to negotiation on the event but lacked detail in what was happening.

“It’s not a case of no,” Cr Harrison said.

“It’s a case of we don’t know.”

Cr Taylor’s alternate motion to refuse the 2008 Margaret River Surf Festival passed 5-2 with Cr Harrison and Cr Colyer voting in favour of giving the proponents more time.

The Mail contacted Supersonic Enterprises representative Colin Nairn for his response on the decision but he did not return calls.