Covid zealots CANCEL Sydney’s world-famous NYE 9pm fireworks despite being 100 days away

Covid zealots CANCEL part of Sydney’s world-famous NYE fireworks spectacular – despite it being months after the city loses many lockdown restrictions

  • City of Sydney is reportedly cancelling 9pm NYE fireworks for second year 
  • Set to follow 2020 plan cancelling 9pm display and shortening midnight display
  • According to leaked email, fireworks will only be centred around Circular Quay
  • Decision is said to be due to keeping residents safe amid uncertainty of Covid
  • Decisions for crowds are still being discussed, with crowds banned last year  


Sydney’s New Year’s Eve 9pm firework display has been cancelled and the world-famous midnight show shortened, despite the reopening of the state set to be in just a few weeks time.

Bureaucrats at the City of Sydney council say the decision to cancel the family firework display is necessary to keep residents safe amid the uncertainty of the Covid-19 virus. 

But Dominic Perrottet, Treasurer for the City of Sydney authority stated that it was ‘pre-emptive’ to can the firework show when the big day is still over 100 days away when asked about this decision. 

The City of Sydney government authority has reportedly cancelled the world-famous Sydney New Year’s Eve firework display due to the uncertainty of Covid

‘New Year’s Eve is 100 days away, and it would seem a bit pre-emptive to be pulling the plug on an iconic event enjoyed by so many people,’ he said.

‘While safety has to be a priority this is something that deserves to be examined closely to see what the options are. 

‘COVID-19 has cast a long shadow across all our lives and I would hope there is a way we can end the year with a bang and some spark rather than a whimper.’

Council will reportedly copy the format of 2020’s New Years Eve, cancelling the traditional 9pm fireworks, the ‘harbour of light parade’ and the lord mayor’s picnic according to a leaked email from the City of Sydney to stakeholders that was seen by the Sydney Morning Herald. 

Treasurer for the City of Sydney Dominic Perrottet says this decision was pre-emptive with the big day being 100 days away and NSW set to be emerging out of lockdown in the coming weeks

Treasurer for the City of Sydney Dominic Perrottet says this decision was pre-emptive with the big day being 100 days away and NSW set to be emerging out of lockdown in the coming weeks

While the midnight fireworks will be given the go-ahead, they will reportedly only be centred around Circular Quay and the inner harbour while arrangements for crowds are still being decided. 

‘This format will allow Sydney New Year’s Eve to remain resilient in the face of continuing uncertainty and help stakeholders, businesses and visitors formulate their plans,’ wrote Lauren Schwabe, City of Sydney crowd and traffic manager.

‘We will continue to work with the NSW government to assess the impact of the pandemic on the event. The operational requirements of the event, including crowd densities and capacities, are still being determined, with multiple scenarios being developed.’ 

As the state government took control of the NYE firework event last year, holding a shortened version of the midnight fireworks, crowds were not permitted along the foreshore of the harbour.

A leaked email between the City of Sydney and stakeholders reported the authority would be following a similar plan to the 2020 firework display, cancelling the 9pm show and holding a shortened version of the midnight fireworks

A leaked email between the City of Sydney and stakeholders reported the authority would be following a similar plan to the 2020 firework display, cancelling the 9pm show and holding a shortened version of the midnight fireworks

There was a plan to allow frontline workers to watch the fireworks from these prime positions however, it was scrapped due to the Avalon outbreak in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. 

The City of Sydney local government authority has taken back responsibility for this year’s event, with a council spokesperson confirming to The Herald the 9pm display would not be going forward for the second year in a row.     

‘The fireworks always generate very large crowds and the two separate displays result in the crossover of large numbers of people leaving for one show and arriving for the next,’ he remarked.

With large crowds on the foreshore of the harbour (pictured) a staple of the fireworks, last year crowds were banned due to a Covid outbreak in the Northern Beaches

With large crowds on the foreshore of the harbour (pictured) a staple of the fireworks, last year crowds were banned due to a Covid outbreak in the Northern Beaches

‘In the current climate, limiting this mixing of crowds will ensure the event can be managed in the most COVID-safe way for all attendees and staff.’

Sydney’s lockdown is set to end when 70 per cent on the eligible adult population is fully vaccinated against the virus, which is estimated to be in mid-October with more restrictions easing at the 80 per cent mark where life will get closer to normal.

The New Year’s Eve event will be dictated by the public health orders that are in place on December 31.

There is also the possibility that the usually large-scale event could be governed by special public health orders put in place specifically for the event if needed. 

When approached, the Premier’s office declined to comment on the matter.      

The decision to allow crowds for the 2021 NYE fireworks is still being deliberated despite plans to open up the state once the population exceeds 70 per cent fully vaccinated

The decision to allow crowds for the 2021 NYE fireworks is still being deliberated despite plans to open up the state once the population exceeds 70 per cent fully vaccinated

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk