Ridiculous call to raise Centrelink payments so young Aussies can go to music festivals
- Ticket sales drop in festival goers aged 18 to 24
- Major factors include cost-of-living and ticket prices
- READ MORE: Outrage as Pandemonium Rocks music festival reduces line-up
A bar owner has called for Youth Allowance and JobSeeker payments to be raised so that young people can afford nights out and to attend music festivals.
Ancient World co-owner Hugh Scobie made the call, citing the cost-of-living crisis and rising rents which prevent many from spending money on social activities.
This in turn is crushing the entertainment industries, with many nightspots closing down.
Musical festivals were once a rite of passage, but financial pressures has seen a fall in ticket sales which has forced many festivals, including high profile ones like Splendour in the Grass, to cancel as a result.
A new report has found economic pressures and the soaring cost-of-living has seen a drastic drop in ticket sales among young Aussies
The report found ticket sales suffered among music festivals' biggest group of attendees - those aged 18 to 24
'Most people can't afford to spend $50 on a night out,' Mr Scobie told the Adelaide Advertiser.
'Raising JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to the amount recommended by the Australian Council of Social Service would help a lot.'
Creative Australia's SoundCheck report 'Insights into Australia's music festival sector' published on Wednesday found ticket sales dropped by 24 per cent among the festivals' key demographic.
Ticket sales among 18 to 24 year-olds dropped from 41 per cent in 2018/19 to 27 per cent in 2022/23.
The report also cited the National Arts Participation Survey which also found ticket sales fell due to the expense of attending when necessities like rent, groceries, and household bills were soaring.
The cost of tickets remained the most common barrier to attendance, impacting 55 per cent of respondents to the survey. One-third said they did not attend an event in 2022 because of high ticket prices.
Money issues were also most pronounced among party-goers aged under 35, with nine out of 10 experiencing financial difficulty in 2023.
'We lost a huge amount of our audience – young people and students whose main income is from Centrelink – almost immediately after interest rates, rents, groceries and petrol prices went up,' Mr Scobie said.
'Seeing bands and socialising with their friends doesn't seem to be affordable for them in the current economic climate.'
Young Australians on JobSeeker, who are single and do not have children, receive a maximum fortnightly payment of $762.70
Co-owner of Adelaide bar and DJ venue Ancient World Hugh Scobie (left) called for Youth Allowance and Job Seeker payments to be raised so that young Aussies can afford ticket prices and a night out on the town
JobSeeker recipients who are single and do not have children receive a maximum fortnightly payment of $762.70.
Those on Youth Allowance can receive anywhere between $395.30 to $806 a fortnight depending on their age, living arrangements, relationship status and whether they have children.
Mr Scobie suggested raising the payments in line with the suggestion made by the Australian Council of Social Service.
The organisation calculated JobSeeker recipients were receiving an average of $55 a day, and argued it should increased in line with the pension at $80.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Soundcheck report highlighted the need for more taxpayers' money be spent on supporting festivals, but also believes climate change was to blame for cancellations.
'Festivals are an important part of the arts and live music ecosystem. 'Festivals support jobs not only for artists but also in hospitality, tourism and trades as well,' Senator Hanson-Young said.
'It is not a surprise to hear festival organisers say that extreme weather and insurance are among their biggest challenges.
'We have known for some time that extreme weather events and climate change are making it harder and more unpredictable to put on large scale events.'
Three-day music festival Splendour in the Grass, which was set to be held from July 19 to 21 at North Byron Parklands, was cancelled on March 26.
Sources claimed the festival was most likely cancelled because of poor ticket sales, but organisers said in a statement it was due to 'unexpected events'.
Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue, 55, was set to headline the event along with other popular artists including G Flip, Arcade Fire and Future.
It comes after a slew of major music festivals in Australia were cancelled, including the iconic three-day festival Splendor in the Grass (pictured)
One of Australia's largest music festivals Groovin the Moo was forced to cancel its upcoming tour of shows just two months before it was set to start.
In February, organisers announced that the festivals across regional Australia wouldn't be going ahead in 2024, citing poor ticket sales.
In January, ValleyWays - a music festival featuring some of Australia's biggest bands - was cancelled just weeks before it was set to take place.
ValleyWays was getting ready to host revellers at Onslow Oval in Camden, in Sydney's southwest, on February 17, until it was announced that it will not go ahead.
In the same month, Tent Pole Music Festival cancelled their event just weeks before it was due to kick off with organisers, blaming the 'impossible' economic climate.
It was set to go ahead on February 17 at Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong, Victoria, but was forced to offer ticketholders a full refund after it was canned.
Earlier this year, Vintage Vibes festival was cancelled two weeks before the event held at Tomich Wines in Woodside in the Adelaide Hills.
Organisers took to social media announcing the festival on January 27 and 28 was cancelled due to ''increased pressure on supply chains' and 'shifts in economic climates'.
International headliners Rudimental and Groove Armada were set to line up alongside local acts DMA's, Meg Mac and Cub Sport.
Around the same time 2023 and 2024 music festivals Coastal Jam and Falls were scrapped.
