Major Events Act 2014

The Executive may, not later than 28 days before the proposed date of an event, declare the event to be a major event (a major event declaration).

The Executive may only make a major event declaration in relation to an event if satisfied—

that the event is a major event at an international, national, State or Territory level; and

it is in the public interest to do so; and

on reasonable grounds it is necessary and appropriate to do so.

In deciding whether to make a major event declaration, the Executive must consider whether the event will do any of the following:

generate significant tourism opportunities for the ACT by attracting a large number of international participants or spectators;

significantly raise the ACT’s international profile;

require a high level of professional management and coordination;

attract significant sponsorship and media coverage;

attract large numbers of people as participants or spectators;

offer substantial cultural, economic, social, sporting or other benefits for the ACT and ACT residents.

The Executive may not declare a public protest or demonstration to be a major event.

A major event declaration is a disallowable instrument.

The Executive must give additional public notice of the major event declaration.

Public notice means notice on an ACT government website or in a daily newspaper circulating in the ACT (see Legislation Act, dict, pt 1). The requirement in s (6) is in addition to the requirement for notification on the legislation register as a disallowable instrument.

Failure to publish a declaration in accordance with subsection (6) does not affect the validity of the declaration.