Queenslanders to shell out $1m to babysit schoolies

Courier Mail ^ | November 19, 2009 | Greg Stolz and John Wright

[myknowledge]

TAXPAYERS will fork out more than $1 million on police, security guards and beach fencing to babysit schoolies on the Gold Coast.

That Department of Communities alone will spend $610,000 to fund Schoolies week, which starts tomorrow.

The money pays for free entertainment for the teenage revellers, security guards, beach fencing, wristbands, support services and volunteer co-ordination.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars more will be spent on police and ambulance services for the almost 30,000 schoolies expected to hit the Gold Coast.

[myknowledge]

A million bucks just to babysit party going school leavers?

Are they kidding me!?

[stormer]

If that’s a sample of the talent, I’ll do it for a lot less than a mill. That aside, how much money is pumped into the local economy during Spring Break?

[naturalman1975]

My kids got a deal (only one left at this point and he's got another year of school) - return ticket anywhere in the world and enough money for a decent holiday once during their time at university in exchange for not being allowed to go to Schoolies.

And two teachers from the school I teach at are currently up at Surfers Paradise and we'll have two there during the schoolies period at an address our 'ex-'students know about and can go there if they need help.