News August 13, 2018

Victorian Government to protect Meredith patrons from ticket scalpers

Music fans hoping to attend this year’s Meredith Music Festival will be given a bit of extra protection from the Victorian Government, amping up penalties for scalpers after declaring the festival “a major event”.

Last week, the Meredith Music Festival announced its 2018 lineup, with acts including The Breeders, Billy Bragg, and much more. As expected, countless music fans have thrown their hat in the ring in hopes of being able to buy a ticket through the festival’s annual ballot.

However, attendees who might prove unsuccessful with the ticket ballot can now breathe a sigh of relief, with ticket scalpers set to get a bit nervous thanks to the Victorian Government.

In a press release sent out over the weekend, the Victorian Government noted that they recognise that the Meredith Music Festival is a prime target for ticket scalpers, and have accordingly dubbed the festival “a major event”, giving it protection under the new Major Events Act.

“We have always done what we can to keep our tickets from scalpers and this declaration offers the best protection yet for Meredith-goers,” explained festival organisers.

Under the new legislation, it is illegal to re-sell tickets to a ‘major event’ for more than ten per cent of the original price. Penalties for those found in violation of this new legislation can range from $806 to $484,500, depending on the nature of the offence.

Until now, only sporting events had been awarded the status of being a ‘major event’, but now this protection has been extended to other big-name events, including the Golden Plains festival, and performances of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two.

“Music lovers have the right to access tickets at a fair price,” explained Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren. “By declaring Meredith Music Festival, we’re sending a clear message to ticket scalpers that their malicious practice will not be tolerated.”

The ticket ballot for the 2018 edition of the Meredith Music Festival is open now.

Check out The Breeders’ ‘Cannonball’:

Meredith Music Festival 2018 Lineup

The Breeders
Billy Bragg
The Presets
Yaeji
Sampa The Great
Panda Bear
The Founding Father of House Lil Louis
Laura Jean
Pond
DJ Jnett
Mambali
Montero
Nadia Rose
The Aints!
The Pharcyde
Mildlife
Mental As Anything
Roza Terenzi
The Native Cats
Mim Suleiman
Tourist Kid
Time For Dreams
Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange
DJ Lady Erica
Scott & Charlene’s Wedding
The Seven Ups