Newcastle Show organisers are locked in a bitter pay dispute with the Showmens Guild and are exploring back-up plans if the carnival ride operators pull out.
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The show committee says it has received menacing anonymous phone calls pressuring it to accept a deal with the guild, but guild president George Pink said the claims were "rubbish".
The dispute centres on the fee Newcastle Agricultural Horticultural and Industrial Association charges the guild to access the show, which is four weeks away.
Mr Pink said the association wanted the guild to pay $90,000, up from $50,000 three years ago and $70,000 last year.
Association vice-president Daniel Wallace, who is also secretary of Hunter Workers union group, said the guild had a history of "screwing the show down to the lowest rate possible".
He said this had contributed to the show running into financial difficulty and a $40,000 state government bail-out three years ago.
"We've just stayed firm, they've stayed firm, and we've had a couple of calls that were a bit of a threatening nature that we've got to take the deal," he said.
"We've said, 'We're not going to take threats of violence. We've got a rate on the table and, if it's not accepted, we'll make other arrangements for the show.'
"They're making stacks of money, but they've always had a heavy-handed approach with local show committees, but, given my background, I've said, 'We don't deal with bullies.'"
Show general manager Gabe Robinson said after last year's event that revenue had jumped 50 per cent to $798,000 and gate takings had risen 42 per cent.
This year's show will clash with the Drop music festival at Bar Beach on March 7 and Surfest finals on March 8.
Mr Pink said the guild's fee was "going up and up and up, but the gate's not going up so we can earn the money".
"They just think they've got the greatest show on earth, but I'm afraid they haven't," he said.
"It's no better than the likes of Muswellbrook now."
Both sides have leverage in the dispute. Mr Wallace conceded it was "daunting for a show committee not to have rides", yet the show is also a source of revenue for ride operators at a time when the drought and bushfires have hurt the industry.
Mr Wallace said the show committee was working on a strategy to "de-risk" the event's reliance on rides.
"We have got plans in place if it does happen," he said.
"There's three or four models. There's family-style picnic areas mixed with a more stretched-out agricultural and horticultural section. More open-space areas.
"We've considered things like bringing in a beach area, some water. We have to go through approvals for that.
"And using the space for parking and a mix of independent entertainment people. We raised it three or four months ago that there's lots of parents that don't take their kids to the show because they don't want to tell them 'no' to the rides because they're too expensive.
"If we've got to action that stuff, then we will. We think with community support there may be people interested in coming and paying the ticket price and not having to tell the kids about rides."
But Mr Wallace said the show's "main position" was to reach a deal with the guild.
Mr Pink, who used to live at Belmont North, said the show committee had "out-priced themselves".
"We tried to do a deal with them with the fee the same as last year and they wouldn't accept it," he said.
"We got them down to a decent price a few years ago where it was viable to come and do it, and the next year they just put it back up another $20,000.
"It was the best country show in Australia. Now it's not worth going to. It's too dear. They don't get the people in the gate. They haven't had the professionalism there to do it. They haven't won the Newcastle people over to come back to the show. That's not our problem; that's their problem."
He said comparable shows such as those in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Wagga Wagga charged no more than one fifth of what the Newcastle committee charged.
Ride operators also had to spend about $30,000 on fencing, power and council fees to set up camp outside the show precinct.
Mr Pink rejected talk of the guild intimidating the show committee.
"I don't believe that for one moment. They go on with all this rubbish. We wouldn't even know their phone number.
"That wouldn't be right. We don't do that sort of stuff. That's stupid."