Labor eyes crackdown on ‘parasite’ ticket resellers such as Viagogo

A Labor plan to clamp down on ticket resellers in a bid to stop scams and price gouging could force Google to cut or de-prioritise them from its search results.

Google could be forced to cut or de-prioritise ticket resellers from its search results under a Labor plan to prevent people falling victim to scams and price-gouging.

The federal opposition is also considering banning ticket-buying bots, legislating a ticket resale price cap of 110 per cent, and reviewing the consumer watchdog.

Viagogo is in Labor’s firing line, with arts spokesman Tony Burke blasting the reseller as a “parasite on the industry”.

“The live music industry was smashed by the virus. Now it’s battling a parasite,” Mr Burke told the Herald Sun.

“It’s shocking that just as the industry is trying to get back on its feet, ticket resellers are once again out there gouging fans desperate to come back to gigs.

“They sell overpriced and often totally fake tickets that have left countless concertgoers disappointed.”

Live Performance Australia chief Evelyn Richardson says national regulation would make it easier for consumers to understand and for businesses to comply. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The Victorian government last week closed a loophole that was allowing scalpers to sell sporting, concert and theatre tickets for more than 10 per cent above face value when they included a food voucher.

However, ticket scalping laws vary from state to state.

Live Performance Australia chief executive Evelyn Richardson said national regulation would make it easier for consumers to understand and for businesses to comply.

Ms Richardson said a ­national framework would ­require resources for enforcement to ensure offshore ticket resellers complied with Australian laws, and had local points of contact for consumer queries and complaints.

A draft information standard, which would require ticket resale websites to disclose the original face value of tickets and that they were not the primary seller, was being developed by the federal ­government.

But Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said: “The significant impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the live events, performance and ticketing industry meant that further work on the draft information standard was placed on hold.”

Viagogo was fined $7m for breaching Australian consumer law after it made false or misleading representations when reselling tickets for live music and sports events. Picture: AAP

Mr Sukkar said the government would continue to monitor the situation, including the number of complaints to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

A Ticket Brokers Association of Australia spokesman said it would prefer minimum transparency requirements and consumer education over price caps on tickets.

It has also raised concerns about the Victorian legislation, saying it did not prevent event organisers raising ticket prices when demand increased.

In 2020, Viagogo was fined $7m for breaching Australian consumer law after it made false or misleading representations when reselling tickets for live music and sports events.

A Viagogo spokesman said it would continue working with authorities to ensure its platform was compliant and a safe, transparent marketplace.

“We provide the highest standards of customer protection in Australia and across the world,” he said. Fewer than 1 per cent of tickets sold worldwide were not valid, he said.