Sydney gears up for NYE fireworks despite raging bushfires

PETER PARKS / AFP

Sydney is going ahead with New Year’s Eve fireworks show despite calls for its cancellation as devastating bushfires rage across Australia.

Critics had wanted Sydney to reallocate the funds spent on the fireworks towards fighting the bushfires, but officials claimed the show is an economic boost to the city and cancelling it will not help the fire victims. 

City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore said people viewing the fireworks around the harbour will see a donation link projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons throughout the night.

More than 100,000 fireworks will light up the skyline for 12 minutes to about one million spectators.

More from International News

  • Syrian rebels topple Assad, his whereabouts unknown

    Syrian rebels declared President Bashar al-Assad ousted after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, forcing him to flee and ending his family's decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war in a seismic moment for the Middle East.

  • Israel shells north Gaza hospital

    Palestinian health officials said on Sunday that Israeli forces had shelled the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, damaging electricity and oxygen pumps and disrupting urgent surgeries.

  • Trump says Russia abandoned Syria's president

    US President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that Russia's abandonment of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad led to his downfall, adding Moscow never should have protected him in the first place and then lost interest because of a war in Ukraine that never should have started.

  • Russia open to Ukraine peace talks, says Kremlin

    The Kremlin said on Sunday that Russia was open to talks on Ukraine after US President-elect Donald Trump called for "an immediate ceasefire and negotiations".

Blogs