"Had WYD been held in North America or Europe the greenhouse gas footprint would not have been so large.

In April 2008, three months before WYD, the Pope announced seven new sins. Number four was “polluting the environment”.

What a closing line! Absolutely clutching at straws here.

Yes, the money could have been used for many worthwhile things. We'd have been better off without WYD. Why so much secrecy, perhaps we are not a democracy but an authoritarian, softly-theocratic, free-market state.

In the same year, I was denied (though it was clinically indicated) endodontic therapy for an abscessed tooth in the public clinic upon which I am reliant, and still to this day do not have it. Though I was advised the problem was treatable, I was offered to have tooth pulled out instead, a sacrifice made to fund the catholics perhaps. Unsurprisingly, I denied the offer of removal. Official complaints have proved fruitless, the complaints body is not really independent or rigorous in its oversight. New liability laws restrict my rights to sue.

Wonder if the church will come forward and pay for my root canal, or one of its supporters? I'm waiting...... still.

As a Sydney resident, I found the whole event, and its handling, to be an insult to the NSW people. It is doubly insulting to be required to pay for it.

Sydney was significantly disrupted, with the seemingly random closing of streets in the CBD, coupled with the impossibility of catching public transport at various times during the day.

Possibly even worse - but that might just be a measure of how already jaundiced I was about the incursion on my daily routine - was the general air of holier-than thou that these kids carried around with them. There were roaming gangs of them, bursting into chants in the middle of George Street, oblivious to the chaos around them, smugly secure in their carapace of self-righteousness.

The reason that neither the government nor the church will ever tell us how much the NSW taxpayer had to fork out for this abomination is very simple. There would be such a backlash that the government would not survive another week, and catholics everywhere would instantly achieve pariah status for sucking so greedily at the public teat.

A disgrace all round.

I always thought our contribution to CYW (Catholic Youth Week) was to pay for our politicians' audiences with the Pope - which it seems cost even more than Olympic medals.

World Youth Day - or should that be 'World Catholic Rip-off Week'.
A disgraceful and tawdy spectacle, complete with cruci(fiction) re-enactments more in keeping with an isolated village in the backblocks of Spain or Italy.
The massive financial blow-out (not to mention the virtually criminal lack of funding accountability) was as predictable as was George Pell's support for this nonsensical farce. It is yet another nail in the coffin of the state Labor government, although it is sad that the wielder of the hammer would seem to be that ubiquitous political harlot Malcolm Turnbull - anyone who would join the Roman Catholic Church (or any other church for that matter) for reasons of political advantage has clearly failed the first test of suitability for high office - ie personal integrity.

a loathsome event staged by a loathsome group, led in australia by a loathsome, sanctimonious troll.

Bushbasher you said it all in one sentence. A Pope and Co trying to impress how Christian they are, what a laugh.

Pericles,
I certainly agree. An expensive disruption to everyday life so politicians could big note themselves. There never was any chance of us making anything out of it. Another $160million blown.

Like the Sydney Olympics, we will never be told what that cost us. I reckon NSW financial problems started because of that.

That proposed car race at Homebush will be another case of money wasted.

Get over it people.

"Oh, it disrupted my daily routine"...Well boohoo, too bad for you. Why not show some tolerance and consideration for other people and just PUT UP WITH IT! Instead of whinging. Geez, what a me me me attitude. Are you toddlers, or adults?

World Youth Day was a cultural event- a significant portion of the Australia population identify as Catholics- and an event which brought plenty of tourism to Australia, in addition to the media coverage associated with having the event in Sydney.

I might add that I'm not Catholic and I'd be lucky if I'd stepped foot in a Catholic church more than once or twice in my entire life. But unlike some of the other posters on here I'm happy for such a cultural event to be staged in the country, and I've got the necessary level of tolerance and acceptance to say "OK, despite the fact that this is of no interest to ME, I'm happy for it to take place".

I'm not trying to sound holier-than-thou or self righteous here, but perhaps some others could benefit from taking up a similar attitude. If not for yourself, then please do that for the rest of us who don't want to put up with your whinging.

Trav,
I don't live in Sydney so there was no personal inconvience to me about the WYD, but there was to a lot of people that live and work there.

What appalls me is that millions are disrupted and millions of taxpayers dollars wasted simply so some politicians can grandstand. The politicians lie to the NSW people and throw our money away. It was the same with the OLympics, a total waste of money. The polys would be bragging if we made a cent out of it.

I pay tax and I'm sick of seeing money being wasted on stupid projects. The Motor race proposal for Homebush is another waste and we spend enough already on our top line athletes,which is being pushed again.

What about spending the money on the Pacific Highway where many lives could be saved or what about a facility where country relatives, of patients that are in major hospitals, can stay.

Let us get back to more practical thinking. Oh, I dont use the Pacific Highway so that does not effect me.

This article was, apparently, about whether WYD can be determined and quantified as an unfair and improper impost on the State purse.

The question of whether WYD (Olympics, World Rugby Cup etc) should have received funding and should have appropriate financial reporting is legitimate and should be answered.

The bile from posters is, unfortunately, typical and misses the point - unless OLO is actually all about attacking the people and not addressing the issues.

The Queensland Government has locked up contractual arrangements for a freeway or the like for 50 years, so the lack of transparency has more to do with hiding embaraasing arrangements (such as with the AJC about the racetrack and not using the Olympic Park precinct as tyhe Church wanted to).

Anyway, give the Church and all those young people a good bashing if it makes you feel better, but the transparency issue needs following up both intra and extra-Church.

<<Anyway, give the Church and all those young people a good bashing if it makes you feel better ..>>

yep, it works for me. thanks!