Citizens rain on pope's harbour city parade

Asia-Pacific Features

Jul 10, 2008, 16:43 GMT

Sydney - If only Pope Benedict had picked Melbourne rather than Sydney to host next week's World Youth Day celebrations. Australia's southern capital sells itself as Event City and delights in being friendly and putting on a good show for visitors. The professional tennis circuit plays its opening tournament there, the F1 Grand Prix is there and the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground has hosted both an Olympics and a Commonwealth Games. Melbourne is richer, will soon be bigger, and is where Australia became a nation in 1901. 'God gave them one of the great harbours in the world and gave us a lot of mud flats,' former Melbourne mayor Ron Walker said of Sydney. 'We had to really carve out a city.' Sydney has been showing its worst side to the 125,000 foreign pilgrims expected for the July 15-20 World Youth Day events that culminate in Pope Benedict's open-air mass for up to 500,000. Youth Day organizers and the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) had an ugly spat over terms for vacating Randwick racecourse for the closing mass. The AJC and its 700 horses will leave Randwick for 10 weeks. The deal was a year in the making and didn't come until Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell left the negotiations to the New South Wales state government. 'I don't think the Catholic Church are used to having people disagree with them,' said AJC representative Anthony Cummings. 'They found a group of people as fervent about what they do as the church is.' The next bit of nastiness came from Sydney hotel owners, who said the disruption of the six-day event had scared off business travelers and that the high-end pilgrims promised hadn't materialized. The Australian Hotels Association, which represents 50 hotels, said its members were facing 'potential disaster.' Organizers, taken aback by the welter of complaints, have appealed to Sydney residents for a more welcoming attitude towards the pilgrims. 'There are going to be people here from 170 nations,' said spokesman Jim Hanna. 'I think we like the idea of putting on a show that the rest of the world is watching.' Anyone listening to Sydney's radio stations would have to question whether residents like putting on a show at all. 'I'm against Sydney holding big events. It's too disruptive,' an office worker who identified himself as Matt told local radio. Ann told the same radio station that 'these big events should be paid totally - I don't care what it is or what it's for - by the people who promote it.' New South Wales Deputy Premier John Watkins has also appealed for a bit more public spirit, saying 'most Sydneysiders realize that when you have a big event there will be some disruption.' Youth Day is costing the taxpayer over 150 million Australian dollars (140 million US dollars). Organizers hope that, like the Sydney Olympics, a welcome mat will roll out when the big day arrives. And there are those who are embarrassed by the attitude of their fellow citizens. 'I'm sick of all this whingeing and whining,' a woman called Margaret told a radio presenter. 'A few hundred thousand young smiling people is just what we need.' Her views were echoed by Donna, who warned fellow residents that more big events would move from Sydney unless the city became more accommodating. 'We are competing for these events with overseas cities as well as cities like Melbourne and Brisbane, who get events that we don't get.'

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lanceJul 12th, 2008 - 21:25:07

'A few hundred thousand young smiling people is just what we need.'

That is so weird. So, there are no smiling young people in Melbourne? Or are their numbers pale in comparison to the evil no-do-gooder Melbourne punks presently there. Certainly gays and muslims smile too. Are they invited in their full glory? Why won't any tourist do? What is 'special' about this event? Surely she could say the same thing about any 100,000 tourists. Or, can she? How about a muslim youth day in Melbourne? Surely they smile too, especially if the AU gov. throws them a party at about $600AU/child.

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Muslims must react to this CRUSADER'S AGENDAJul 13th, 2008 - 15:12:59

Pope Benedict is the biggest hypocrite that can ever be or has existed in the past. It is bringing the people to catholicism, AND IT IS THE BIGGEST FALLACY THAT HAS EVER EXISTED.

bILLY gRAHAM SHOULD BEEN ADDRESSING SUCH A GATHERING AND WOULD NOT BE OUT OF PLACE TO CALL AN ORTHODOX JEWISH RABBI AND A MUSLIM PRIEST.

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jhgJul 13th, 2008 - 20:46:10

lol. Zionist and Islamist united here..

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lanceJul 14th, 2008 - 00:53:00

'lol. Zionist and Islamist united here..'

So, recognizing that 100,000+ muslim children can also smile, just as well as catholic children makes one a Zionist or Islamist?

I simply would like to know if Melbourne has muslimphobia or not. The only way to test it out is to invite a few Imam and a few 100,000 muslim children and throw them a big and expensive party at the government's expense and see the reaction of the Melbourne folk. Sounds like an interesting experiment.

I am somewhat curious about the nature of the Melbourne hospitality.

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DaveJul 14th, 2008 - 01:43:05

Sydney doesn't have enough hotels, etc to accommodate even the smallest seminar let alone an event. Given Sydney infrastructure, the local people need an event like this like they need a hole in the head. These issues do not get addressed and then people wonder why the locals get frustrated. Don't blame the locals for your stupidity in holding this event in Sydney.

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THIS POOP must be investigated or sexual crimesJul 17th, 2008 - 09:59:13

There are about 50 catholics behind bars in Poland / Germany, who have accused this POOP of sexual crimes. In staed of invstigating the criminal, they have been put behind bars!What a strong POOP!

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