Music festival organisers pocket millions from ticket sales but refuse to pay for medical services
They’re pocketing millions of dollars from ticket sales, but organisers of Sydney’s drug-fuelled music festivals are refusing to pay for the medical services that have saved revellers’ lives and kept them in business.
They’re pocketing millions of dollars from ticket sales, but organisers of Sydney’s drug-fuelled music festivals are refusing to pay for the medical services that have saved revellers’ lives and kept them in business.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard has demanded the businessmen repay the $500,000 taxpayers forked out for the teams of health professionals who prevented disaster at three festivals over the Australia Day weekend.
Sydney man Pete Finley, 32, whose company sold more than $2 million worth of tickets for Hardcore Til I Die on Saturday, declined to contribute towards the bill yesterday.
A spokesman for Mr Finley said the DJ, nicknamed “Kid Finley”, had already spent $175,000 on medical staff and police and would not comment on Mr Hazzard’s request.
Organisers from Rolling Loud and Electric Gardens, which took advantage of the publicly-funded doctors over the weekend, have also not offered to reimburse the state.
Mr Hazzard said the doctors saved 14 of the 25 patients who were transported to hospital, including six who were intubated on-site. But no festivals had offered to pay.
“I have spoken to the secretary of health and indicated I would like them to write to the organisers of each of the three festivals (asking them) to repay the taxpayers for what effectively has kept their businesses credible,” the minister said.
“(The doctors) were put on the drug battleline on Saturday and Sunday night so the kids can have a great time but not so that others can make massive profits.
“I think it would be an appropriate acknowledgment to the incredible doctors, nurses and paramedics who kept their patrons safe if festival organisers stick their hands in their pockets and pay back the taxpayers. The message to these guys should be show taxpayers the money.”
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Mr Finley has built an empire of “hardcore” rave parties across the country in the past 10 years since starting off as a humble DJ working in Sydney’s music scene.
However, his rapid rise to the top has been marred by two people dying at his company’s events and dozens more hospitalised for drug overdoses.
His company sold more than $2.3 million in tickets to its Knockout rave in Western Sydney in December, the same event where 19-year-old Callum Brosnan died of a suspected drug overdose.
The 13,000 who attended its Hardcore Til You Die rave forked out $159 for pre-sale tickets, earning Harder Styles United another $2 million.
Eight people were hospitalised at the event, two of whom were critical and needed assistance from taxpayer-funded doctors.
The NSW government said the $500,000 cost of supplying critical-care doctors at three events over the weekend and a last-minute advertising campaign saved the lives of those revellers.
“The additional critical care staff contributed significantly to the outcomes seen,” a NSW Health spokeswoman said.
“NSW Health considers early transport to hospital to be very important as patients can receive timely high-level medical care in a hospital environment.
“In the lead-up to the Australia Day long weekend, the NSW government committed nearly $500,000 to high-level critical-care medical teams, roving peer educators and additional free water at the three “high-risk” festival events, as well as an extensive social media campaign featuring doctors, paramedics and young drug overdose survivors.”
As well as Mr Finley, the organiser of the Electric Garden event, Damian Gelle, and Rolling Loud organiser Pineapple Finns, of which Finley and his relative Oliver Finley are directors, also declined to contribute to the costs incurred by taxpayers.
The Daily Telegraph also asked Ultra Australia music festival organiser Dave Rubin if he would pay the bill for his upcoming event on February 23 but he did not respond to questions.
Mr Finley grew up attending The King’s School in Parramatta and used to sneak into hardcore raves at the weekend when only 15.
It earned him the nickname “Kid Finley” which he still uses today when performing, including at major events such as Defqon. 1, which also has a history of drug-related deaths.
In a 2009 interview Mr Finley revealed plans to become a major festival owner.
He now lives in a lavish Queens Park house valued at roughly $2 million and owns a unit in Darling Point estimated to be worth $1.8 million.
His festival business has grown to the point where it hosts up to 30,000 people at events across the globe, including the UK.
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