NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has backed Alan Jones’ position in favour of horse race advertising on the Sydney Opera House.

The NSW government has instructed the Sydney Opera House to allow its sails to be lit up with colours, numbers and a trophy to promote next Saturday’s Everest horse race.

The government has also agreed that the word ‘Everest’ should be included in the projections, which will be used to promote the barrier draw for the $10 million horse race. Racing NSW had also wanted to list horse names on the Opera House sails, but that will not happen. The Everest is the world’s richest turf race and injected $100 million into the NSW economy last year.

Opera House CEO Louise Herron earlier refused to project the advertisement on the sails of the Opera House, telling Alan Jones:

“If we said yes to this… our policy is worthless to us, we’re just going to allow whoever comes along to use the Opera House as a billboard, we would lose our World Heritage status.” But she was forced to reverse the decision on government instructions.

Jones spoke to Herron and Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys earlier this week, putting pressure on the Opera House CEO to reverse the decision.

 

A range of well know journalists and personalities have criticised Jones for the tone of his interview.