Rally Australia will receive three more years of support from the New South Wales government "as the event looks to secure its future on the World Rally Championship schedule" beyond '18, according to Andrew van Leeuwen of MOTORSPORT. News of the ongoing government funding comes at a "crucial time" as a number of new and returning events fight for spots on the WRC calendar for the next couple of seasons. Coffs Habrour MP Andrew Fraser said, "We will continue to fund it on the Coffs Coast, which is great news. We have an opportunity to keep this event here and keep Coffs Harbour on the world stage." While the government support "bodes well for the tie-up between Rally Australia and the Coffs Harbour area," it is not a guarantee that Australia will retain its slot on the WRC schedule. The "first step" is to have Rally Australia’s draft spot on the '18 calendar officially confirmed, which "should be a formality" now that a return to New Zealand has "effectively been taken off the table." While confident for next year, Rally Australia Clerk of Course Wayne Kenny conceded that a "fresh three-year deal like the one coming to an end this year is unlikely," and that year-on-year agreements "will determine the event’s fate" for '19 and '20 (MOTORSPORT, 8/29).
