According to New South Wales authorities, the organizers of Splendor In The Grass were informed a month ago of the adult escort rule for ticket holders under 18 years of age.
Organizers issued a statement Monday (July 11) announcing the rule change, saying they had only been informed of the decision last Thursday (July 7). Moshtix sent an email to the affected ticket holders on July 8th.
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They cited “the latest developments regarding Splendor’s alcoholic beverage license” as the reason for the change, and stressed that “this is not a Splendor decision.”
“These new rules have been imposed on us by NSW police,” the festival statement says. “We were only informed of this Thursday afternoon and we are very unhappy because these big changes are being imposed on the festival at such a late stage.”
However, as reported by The Guardian, a statement from the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) described a meeting held between it, festival organizers, NSW Liquor & Gaming and NSW police. last month, to discuss how the festival would perform. license changes that had been legislated in 2019.
The NSW legislation in question describes a supervision rule for users under the age of 18 at music festivals considered “at risk” of safety breaches for young people.
“The condition for requiring minors to be accompanied by a responsible adult is not a last minute change; it is a legal obligation and was agreed at a meeting with festival organizers, NSW Police, Liquor & Gaming NSW and ILGA on June 16, “the statement said. “NSW and ILGA police fully support the need for this condition. Any suggestions to the contrary are false.”
A spokesman for A Splendor In The Grass told The Guardian that the festival did not think it would fall under the legislation as a “risky” event when tickets went on sale for the first time. According to the publication, Splendor was notified by government authorities in June 2020 that it was subject to the new rules, but assumed it could operate with its existing license, allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to attend without the supervision of ‘an adult.
The spokesman told The Guardian that the festival had rejected NSW police recommendations to the ILGA for them to be licensed in the same way as any other licensed venue, and had not been informed of the acceptance of the recommendation. by the ILGA until July 7.
ILGA, however, claims that it told the festival on July 7 that its health and safety plan had not addressed the issue of supervising minors in an area where alcohol is served, which was highlighted to organizers during the meeting. of June. NME has contacted Splendor representatives for comment.
Monday’s announcement of Splendor coincided with the closure of its official resale platform, meaning no more posts could be posted beyond midnight. However, tickets can still be purchased through it until 23:59 on July 18th.
Although the official terms and conditions of the festival state that “no refunds will be made on tickets, except as required by law and / or as specified in the Live Performance Australia Ticket Sales Practice Code”, a NSW Fair Trading spokesman said those affected may be entitled. to a refund.
“In general, if there are subsequent changes to the terms and conditions after the purchase that prevent the buyer from attending the event, consumer protection laws should provide the affected ticket holder with a repair,” they said. . The guardian.
Splendor In The Grass takes place in Byron Bay next weekend, July 22-24. The first iteration of the festival in three years, will feature performances by Gorillaz, The Strokes, Tyler, The Creator and many more.