Event governance: The rhetoric and reality of the World Rally Championship, Northern Rivers, NSW

Processes of globalisation and the concomitant need to establish place identity in a globally competitive marketplace are frequently cited as factors underpinning national government involvement in the support of events. Yet despite increasing involvement in activities aimed at attracting events, little attention has been paid to the way in which the different levels of
government collaborate, and the quality of governance arrangements in place before, during and after the event. This paper addresses this gap in research by examining the governance arrangements that characterised the World Rally Championship event held in the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales in September 2009. The results of the study suggest that
more effective event governance could be achieved by giving greater attention to the nature and quality of stakeholder participation in decision-making about the event; by respecting current rule of law and working within these frameworks; and by demonstrating real commitment to public interest, transparency, accountability and a responsiveness to local issues that goes beyond rhetoric. The significance of this paper is that it establishes a broader view of what is required under the notion of event governance that not only includes collaboration and shared decision-making with community interests but also extends to identify the range of other agencies (government and non-government) that are directly and indirectly implicated in the planning and management of events.