Basil Zempilas 10 things: New Perth New Year’s Eve fireworks to rival celebrations around the world

1. I’m incredibly proud to be able to say Perth has a brand new New Year’s Eve tradition. More than 115,000 people around the grand natural amphitheatre that is Barrack Square, Elizabeth Quay, up to Kings Park and around to South Perth can’t be wrong. The 8.30pm family friendly fireworks followed by the midnight spectacular was a huge hit and I’m certain in the years to come it will rival the great New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world. My congratulations to the entire City of Perth team for turning our vision into a reality and to the people of Perth for embracing the spectacle so wholeheartedly. 2. We couldn’t have done what we did on Tuesday night without the generous support of Roy Hill and I’m optimistic this brilliant partnership will endure. Our combined ambition is to grow Perth’s New Year’s event into one of global standing. We’re a long way off Sydney’s $6.5 million extravaganza (delivered with NSW State Government support) but what a start and judging by the incredibly positive feedback, clearly Perth has an appetite for more, not less. 3. Then you see what happened in New Orleans. And you’re reminded of how lucky we are to live where we do, to be able to enjoy large scale, free public events, where those sorts of atrocities are a world away. 4. How’s old Roger the dodger (he still won’t meet me). He wants everyone to move to the regions now. No plan, no investment — no idea. 5. This is nothing against Emma Cole but take it from me, vocal opponents of the WA State Government are hard to find. So it tells you something when senior members of the WA planning community put their names to a letter questioning the appointment of the new chair of the WA Planning Commission. The former City of Vincent mayor is that new chair. The minister responsible for the appointment — and recipient of the letter — is another former City of Vincent mayor, John Carey. 6. Haven’t Woolworths had an absolute shocker. Stick to selling groceries and stop trying to tell us what we should think and how we should act. Last year’s unforgivably unpatriotic efforts around Australia Day have produced a back flip which means this year shelves will be stocked with Oz Day merch. I hope it flies out the door. 7. The ABC appears slower to learn its lessons. When will they realise people want entertainment on New Year’s Eve, not lectures? 8. Thanks for the shout out Gary Martin. As a phrase, “Perth-world problems” is here to stay. 9. I want to love the United Cup, but with no Australian team in Perth and no final here either, it’s just not the Hopman Cup, is it? 10. It’s going to be my big sister Diane’s lucky year. She got the coin baked into this year’s Vasilopita — the traditional Greek New Year’s Day cake. The coin brings luck to whichever family member finds it in their slice of cake. Happy New Year everyone.