Live Performance Australia rewrites ticketing code of practice

Live Performance Australia (LPA), the peak representative body for the country’s live entertainment sector, has updated its ticketing code of practice to account for consumers’ rights when events are affected by uncontrollable circumstances such as COVID-19.

The new code outlines the expectations from entertainment companies in regards to conduct, communicating with consumers, possible remedies, and timeframes for offering refunds and announcing new dates. LPA consulted with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission when revising the ticket code.

While the code was redrafted with COVID-19 in mind, LPA’s chief executive Evelyn Richardson said the new document will also address “future circumstances” beyond the current pandemic.

“Our industry has faced incredible challenges this year in responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Venues were forced to close overnight, and performances had to be cancelled or rescheduled despite ongoing uncertainty about the duration and severity of public health restrictions in different jurisdictions,” she said.

“We never previously had to envisage a situation where our entire industry was shut down across the country and globally for months on end, due to circumstances beyond our control, such as the public health response to the global pandemic.

“As we transition to living and working in a COVID-normal world, we obviously need to anticipate the possibility of more disruptions in the future, although they are more likely in the form of targeted and localised restrictions to contain any coronavirus outbreaks.”

The code of practice will come into effect from the start of 2021.