Fireworks skyrocket in price as annual Tairua-Pauanui New Year event appeal launched

Tairua-Pauanui New Year pyrotechnics will cost $34,500 in 2024 compared to $29,900 in 2023.

The Tairua and Pauanui community looks set to get its long-standing annual New Year fireworks display but it comes with a significant increase in costs as organisers deal with skyrocketing overheads.

While Tairua Pauanui Promotions has been successful in its bid to gain $15,000 in funding assistance from the Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board, its statement of financial position shows expenditure has gone up.

Tairua Pauanui Promotions chairman John Hindmarsh said some costs, such as maintenance, were easily quantified, while others such as the cost of pyrotechnics, were due to rising costs for all businesses.

To June 30, 2024, total expenses were $53,363 compared to $38,780 in 2023, with the statement of income and expenditure showing $34,500 in pyrotechnics cost compared to $29,900 in 2023.

Hindmarsh said the fireworks were imported from China and the cost increase was largely attributable to increased transport costs.

Barge towing and maintenance costs had increased from $2500 to $8000 with Hindmarsh saying the $5500 difference was for essential maintenance carried out every several years.

Advertising and marketing had been brought in-house with an estimated $4968 in 2024 compared to $216 in 2023.

Hindmarsh confirmed the Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board agreed to cover $3500 of that in a mail-out campaign for sponsorship of the fireworks.

He said the Thames-Coromandel District Council had previously dealt with the mail-outs, but Tairua Pauanui Promotions had negotiated a deal to distribute the information in 2024.

Donations had increased from $13,305 to $22,315 while grants had also increased, up from $30,000 in 2023 to $34,140 in 2024.

Net income in 2024 was $7741 compared to $4568 in 2023.

Hindmarsh said the mailer would be distributed in the coming weeks.

“We have been accumulating resources, the expectation is that it will whittle down this year; we will raise the funds this year.

“We have to manage the increases; we will hopefully have some decent resources in the future.”

In his letter of application to the community board, Hindmarsh said Tairua Pauanui Promotions was an incorporated society with the purpose of raising about $40,000 each year for the event.

“The bulk of these costs is the cost of the fireworks; it is a significant sum, presenting a perennial fundraising challenge for Tairua Pauanui Promotions.”

The community board agreed to contribute $11,500 towards the cost of the fireworks and $3500 to fund the cost of mailing out flyers to Tairua and Pauanui ratepayers, who it was expected, based on past years, would fund the remaining $25,000 towards the event costs.

“The value of the New Year’s Eve fireworks event to the wider community is that it reduces the potential for excess revelry on New Year’s Eve in both Tairua and Pauanui; the thousands of holidaymakers who flock to the harbour edge at midnight to see the fireworks mostly choose to walk to and from the event.

“For many people, that walk marks the end of their New Year’s Eve celebrations.”

The Tairua-Pauanui Community Board approved the following grants from its discretionary fund at a recent meeting:

• Tairua Pauanui Promotions Trust received $11,500 towards the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
• Tairua Pauanui Promotions Trust received $3500 towards the cost of mail out for sponsorship for fireworks.
• Tairua Elim Church received $4000 towards the cost of running the Light Party Event at Pepe Reserve.
• Age Concern Hauraki received $250 towards meeting room hire at Pauanui Hub.
• Pauanui Ratepayers and Residents Association received $434 towards rabbit control in Pauanui.