Laneway organisers “incredibly disappointed” to be named as “higher risk” music festival

The inner west could lose the Laneway music festival as organisers nervously await the release of a new licensing scheme set to come into effect tomorrow.

The Laneway festival held earlier this month in Callan Park, Rozelle.

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The inner west could lose the Laneway music festival as organisers nervously await the release of a new licensing scheme set to come into effect tomorrow.

Laneway promoter Matthew Lazarus-Hall said he was “incredibly disappointed” to see the event included on the NSW Government’s list of 14 “higher risk” music festivals.

“The whole industry was surprised Laneway was on that list, not just us as the festival directors,” he said.

“Over the years we have always had such positive support and recommendations from the police as a well-behaved well-managed crowd.”

Mr Lazarus-Hall has warned they may have to cancel the NSW leg of the event scheduled for next February at Callan Park in Rozelle.

But this would depend on what safety arrangements they will be required to put in place in order to obtain a new music festival license.

Laneway promoter and Australian Festivals Association board member Matthew Lazarus-Hall

“The Government keeps saying they want music festivals and how important they are and yet they won’t provide the details of a policy that’s meant to come into effect in under 24 hours (on March 1),” he said.

“We are trying to do budgets and make offers for artists and we did release a statement to say that (this year’s event) might have been the last one in Sydney,” he said.

“We just wouldn’t do it in Sydney or NSW; we might just move it to another place.”

Mr Lazarus-Hall, who is also on the Australian Festivals Association board, said the new licensing scheme could also“possibly” push up ticket prices for festival goers.

But he said they would not know the effects until they see the details of what they would be required to do for the new license.

“To be sitting here at 3pm the day before it comes into effect when we don’t know what the impact is, it’s challenging.”

“We already have a liquor license, we have free water, chill out zones, we have paramedics, emergency doctors and ambulances on site.

“We’re doing a lot of the things that in the past governments have signed off on and said: ‘Yeah that’s all great’ and now they’re saying: “It’s not good enough and they haven’t released the criteria they used to judge us high risk.”

About 12000 revellers poured into this year’s Laneway event.

Festivals will have to apply for the new license where there has been a serious drug related illness or death in the past three years or where the independent Liquor & Gaming Authority has determined, having regard to expert advice from NSW Health and NSW Police, that there may be a significant risk of serious drug related illness or death.

Mr Lazarus-Hall said there had been no deaths at the festival in the last three years.

The Daily Telegraph reported there were three drug-related hospital transportations from thsi month’s Laneway festival at Callan Park.

This included a young man who was taken into intensive care after falling seriously ill at the event.

A spokeswoman said the State Government wanted music festivals to thrive but serious drug related illnesses and deaths have demonstrated the need to make festivals safer.

The Government said the new license is simply aimed at making festivals safer.

“The NSW Government will continue to work with operators of festivals required to obtain a music festival licence to ensure they have appropriate safety arrangements in place, and can comply with the new licensing scheme,” she said.

“The scheme is designed to support music festival operators, particularly those who are dealing with the evolving challenge of illegal drug use at their festivals.

“Most operators, including operators of higher risk festivals, are committed to safety and work hard to do the right thing — now they will have access to more expert advice and support to help them run safer events.”

The Courier was told there will be no licensing issues with the festivals scheduled for next month including the Days Like This festival in Victoria Park in Camperdown and Transmission at Sydney Olympic Park.

Both festivals were on the “higher risk” list along with HTID, Rolling Loud and Knockout Games of Destiny, which will also be held at Sydney Olympic Park.

All of these festivals will now be required to pay $650 for the new music festival license and present a safety management plan.

Plans would need to make provisions for things like evacuation points, signage to the location of health services, water stations and entry and exit points for emergency vehicles.