The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) has warned ticket buyers to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour it will be cracking down on ticket scalpers and protecting fans from being ripped off.
The Department said Ms Swift’s concerts had been officially declared a major event under the Major Events Act 2009 due to the expected strong demand for “tickets to one of the hottest gigs in town”.
“The major event declaration means fans are protected from being ripped off by ticket scalpers,” the Department said, “ensuring that tickets are available at a fair price.”
“Under the legislation, tickets to a declared major event can’t be advertised for resale or resold for more than 10% above their original value,” it said.
“In addition to this, ticket package sellers are required to be authorised by the event organiser and individual ticket advertisements must also include ticket and seating details.”
DJSIR said that any ticket seller not complying with the rules could be subjected to penalties that can range from $925 up to $554,760 depending on the nature of the offence.
“Given that The Eras Tour will only play in two Australian cities, it’s expected that more than 60,000 attendees will be from interstate and overseas, giving Melbourne’s economy a massive boost through spending on accommodation, retail, food, beverage and transport in the city,” the DJSIR said.
It said cementing Victoria’s reputation as the major events capital of Australia, Ms Swift is playing shows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in February next year.
It said crowds were expected to reach thousands over the nights, with fans travelling from across Australia and New Zealand to see the pop star perform.
“Major headline acts like Taylor Swift are a major economic win for Victoria, including for Melbourne’s hotels which see a surge in bookings when fans come to town,” the Department said.
“When Ed Sheeran played the MCG in March this year Melbourne’s hotel occupancy reached 90.1%.”
More information about declared events can be found on the Department’s web page at this PS News link.
