COULD THIS BE THE END OF NSW FESTIVALS?

 

 

The NSW Government will soon pass new legislation to further regulate music festivals.

 

Many festival organisers with decades of experience and lessons learned in safety management, including us, have been asking repeatedly to be consulted, to help make sure that the regulations actually work and improve safety standards: We all want to save lives.

 

In spite of this, the legislation was (literally) drafted in a hurry in few hours in the middle of the night without any input from the festival industry (and bizarrely, without waiting for the findings of the coronial inquest into festival deaths initiated by this same Government) – and in its current form could drive festivals out of NSW or out of business.

 

It doesn’t need to be this way! We want to stay in NSW and you don’t want to see festivals go the way of nightclubs post-lockouts.

Luckily YOU CAN HELP!

Email your local state member of parliament ASAP and ask them to “legislate a Music Festival Roundtable” as part of the new Music Festival Act. They represent YOU in parliament, so you have a voice.

Some points to mention:
– Festivals deliver positive social & economic impacts
– Regulation will only work with contribution from industry
– Take into account the inquest findings: that’s what it is for

 

You can use our email template below, or download the PDF version here.

 

You can find your local member here:
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/…/electorates.aspx

 

For more information, click here to read the Sydney Morning Herald article. 

 

Click here to view the post on Facebook.

 

EMAIL TEMPLATE TO YOUR LOCAL MEMBER

 

Subject: Legislate a Music Festival Roundtable

 

To whom this may concern,

My name is <name> and I live in your electorate!

I’ve heard that new legislation is being introduced to Parliament to further regulate music festivals in NSW.

I agree that we do need to focus on safety, but it looks like these rules are being rushed in without waiting for the full report from the Coronial Inquest into festival deaths or allowing input from festival organisers with decades of experience in safety management within the industry. The regulations could make it difficult for festivals (new and old), to continue operating in NSW and are in danger of not increasing safety.

 

Why do I want to keep seeing music events and festivals in NSW?

– Festivals deliver positive social interaction for young people (mostly 18-30 year olds), like myself

– Most festivals are actually extremely safe already. Did you know that over 99% of illicit drug deaths occur elsewhere, away from the medical facilities, security, policing and media attention present at music festivals?

– Festivals deliver economic benefits to councils and state governments as well as local businesses

– Festivals host a community within NSW that cannot be replicated anywhere else

– They bring tourism to NSW

 

What would I like to see?

The new legislation to:

1:  Include consultation with the music festival industry. This hasn’t happened yet, even with multiple offers from industry.

2:  Take into account the recommendations of the NSW Deputy Coroner

 

These music events in some cases have run for 20 years with extremely high safety standards and it would be great to see that continue – in addition to any new and upcoming events in NSW!

 

Regards,

 <name>