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Decision To Allow Sydney NYE Fireworks During Total Fire Ban Has Divided People

Decision To Allow Sydney NYE Fireworks During Total Fire Ban Has Divided People

"It just doesn't seem right to sit there watching the sky light up over Sydney when much of the State is being burnt to a crisp."

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

The iconic Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks have been given the green light, despite there being a total fire ban across New South Wales.

There are extreme weather conditions facing the state today, but the show must go on according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, state government and the City of Sydney Council.

While the show has been given the go-ahead, it seems like opinion is split on whether that decision is the best course of action.

One person wrote on social media: "35 degrees in Sydney on #NYE but fireworks will go ahead! Can't stand in the way of rich gits on their harbour boats paying a fortune for the views of fire crackers going off. Who cares about public safety."

Another added: "Cancelling Sydney's NYE fireworks is the right thing to do - this year and from now on. Instead of $6.7 million up in smoke put it to the firefighters who are trying to stop the smoke."

A third said: "This should be a moral decision above everything else. It just doesn't seem right to sit there watching the sky light up over Sydney when much of the State is being burnt to a crisp. It wouldn't kill anyone to give it a rest just this once."

A petition calling for the fireworks to be cancelled racked up an impressive 278,000 signatures.

PA

The online campaign said that it was wrong to celebrate at a time when the state and large swaths of the country were on fire or suffering from extreme drought.

Despite Premier Gladys Berejiklian throwing her support behind the massive, colourful display, her deputy John Barilaro thought it was the wrong decision.

He said on Twitter: "Sydney's New Year's Eve Fireworks should just be cancelled, very easy decision.

"The risk is too high and we must respect our exhausted RFS volunteers. If regional areas have had fireworks banned, then let's not have two classes of citizens. We're all in this crisis together."

No doubt there will be loads of people out there tonight who will be happy that the fireworks display has been approved.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Australia