Spiraling cost of hiring Ballarat’s Civic Hall defended

The City of Ballarat’s CEO has defended the spiraling cost of hiring the Civic Hall.

Earlier this year, iconic local photographer Max Harris booked the hall for a sixties dance next month, for an indicative price of $6,500.

Mr. Harris has recently been told that cost has ballooned to $14,000.

Despite the price more than doubling, Evan King says there is a community rate.

“Look, we’re certainly not pricing out locals. We have a community pricing schedule for the Civic Hall, which is about 50 per cent of the commercial higher rate for the hall,” he said.

“Also, you’ve got to be mindful that we also have legislation that we are bound by from a competitive neutrality perspective, so Civic Hall competes against private providers.”