Sunshine Coast Council blamed for cancelled Buskers by the Lake festival

A popular Australian festival has blamed “disrespect” and “hush money” from council for its last minute cancellation.

A popular festival has cancelled its upcoming event, blaming a local council for the last minute decision.

Performance festival Buskers by the Lake announced on Wednesday it would be calling off its 2023 event due to “complete and utter disrespect” by Sunshine Coast council against founder Cindy Jensen.

Ms Jensen alleges the council is “working against” the festival, intending to either “control, directly profit from, or put their Council badge” on it or to eradicate it.

Buskers have travelled from across Australia and as far as Europe to take part in the festival.

Event organiser Cindy Jensen (left) said the councils actions had a "detrimental" effect on her.

“I am taking this cancellation stance and calling for a full investigation into Sunshine Coast Council, its representatives, budgets and reporting, and operations of their own major events – someone needs to hold them accountable,” she said on social media.

“I cannot and will not continue to work alongside a council while they blatantly continue to work against us – it’s hard and continues to have so many detrimental effects on myself and so many.”

She alleged the council acted like a “commercial enterprise in direct competition with other businesses”.

Ms Jensen also alleged council offered her and other business owners financial support in reward for the offer being kept confidential and that the group did not make any negative comments about the council.

“I considered this to be ‘hush money’ and a demonstration of Sunshine Coast Council’s mentality,” Ms Jensen said.

The festival organiser said though the main event on Lake Kawana is cancelled, the festival would be reimagined and would take place in a different way

She claimed that the council acted like a “commercial enterprise in direct competition with other businesses”.

A spokesperson for the Sunshine Coast Council said the Sunshine Coast Events Board had decided unanimously last December not to fund Buskers By The Lake event.

“This was based on an assessment of the projected economic impact the applicant had forecast, combined with two years of previous event data,” the spokesperson told The Music website.

“Sunshine Coast Council staff have provided support and advice to the event organisers to review their event model, location within the region and budget.

“Event organisers were given the opportunity resubmit a revised application for the SCEB to consider at their January 2023 meeting.

“The event organisers advised they would not re-scope the event from its original format, and the Board, therefore, upheld their original recommendation.”

“Hundreds” of performers who were due to appear at Buskers by the Lake will have their performances moved into local venues on the Sunshine Coast.

Five venues have already offered to host performances according to the events social media and “a whole lot more are jumping on board”.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council blamed for cancelled Buskers by the Lake festival