The receptionMcDonald, Patrick (2005), "Program 'a work of genius' ", The Advertiser, 11 October 2005, p. 7. of the 2006 festival was positive. Australian media claimed Sheehy had restored Adelaide Festival's status as the pre-eminent arts festival of Australia. The Murdoch News Limited press headlined "Festival back as best in nation", and the Fairfax Media echoed these sentiments."The Future's Looking Festive" by Penelope Debelle, The Age, 8 December 2007. ; Retrieved 22 December 2014 The subsequent 2008 festival broke box office and attendance records for Adelaide Festival's 48-year history,Usher, Robin (15 March 2008) "Directing Festival to Record High", The Age (Arts & Culture), p. 25. and was claimed to have been the world's first carbon-neutral international arts festival, achieved in concert with the South Australian Government.
