SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens speaks on Schoolies, Christmas Pageant amid COVID-19
All Schoolies tickets will be refunded if the event is cancelled this year, organisers say, after Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said concerts “just simply can’t happen” at the festival.
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Authorities are bracing for thousands of teenagers to flock to the Fleurieu Peninsula for end-of-school celebrations this year, despite Schoolies festivities being substantially stripped back.
SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has ruled out any concerts or major events taking place at Schoolies in November, saying “it just simply can’t happen”.
“The current situation with COVID-19 means that large-scale events that are the linchpin of the Schoolies weekend on the Fleurieu really cannot occur,” he said.
“We are now working with local councils, the event organisers and accommodation providers to work out what that particular weekend will look like for those Year 12s finishing their schooling careers.”
Formal guidance from authorities on Schoolies plans is expected by the end of the week.
Schoolies organiser and Encounter Youth boss, Nigel Knowles, said on Wednesday afternoon his organisation had not received specific directions from SA Police and SA Health.
Mr Knowles said Encounter Youth was yet to submit an official COVID management plan on how the event could proceed.
“As yet, Encounter Youth hasn’t received any specific direction or confirmation of what our involvement needs to be for this year’s Schoolies management,” he said.
“We want to reassure people that if the Schoolies Festival is cancelled, we will refund their tickets.”
Mr Knowles said about 3600 tickets have been sold so far. A three-day Schoolies pass sells for nearly $200.
Mr Stevens still expects thousands of school leavers to travel to the Victor Harbor area for celebrations.
But authorities are concerned, particularly given the number of older people living in the area.
“We want them to be able to enjoy the facilities down there as safely as possible. We want to accommodate the concerns and needs of the local community as well, so we’re hopeful that … we will come up with a plan that will suit everybody,” he said.
Mr Stevens, who is also the State Coordinator, accepted that gatherings will occur at homes and rental properties in the region, but is confident that contact tracing, if required, will be easier.
“The big issue with Schoolies really centres on the large uncontrolled gatherings of young people,” he said.
“Thousands of young people at a concert event is simply inconsistent with the measures we are putting in place to limit the risk of COVID-19 spreading if it finds its way into South Australia.”
Under current restrictions, gatherings of up to 50 people are allowed at private residences.
Education Minister John Gardner said Schoolies was a rite of passage but could not take place as usual this year.
“There is a great deal of complexity in terms of how we deal with an arrangement where there are thousands of people who have already made an outlay and how that is resolved in a way that satisfies their needs, satisfies the organisation (Encounter Youth) and the safety of the community,” he said.
“In the coming days – probably the next week or two – there will be a great deal more information about the arrangements about what was previously happening at Schoolies and how that might change this year.”
There is still no indication when restrictions surrounding consuming alcohol while standing will be eased.
Mr Stevens also discussed arrangements for the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant, saying there could be a ticketing system in place at a venue such as Adelaide Oval or the Victoria Park racecourse.
Events SA is currently working on plans for the event, but Mr Stevens does not have the specific details yet.
“SA Health will work with them to make sure that it’s a safe event like every other event we’re trying to facilitate.”
“We simply can’t have 300,000 people crammed in a 3-4km pageant route,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide.