1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Good morning, and welcome to the Daily OS. It is Thursday, 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: the fourteenth of July. On today's podcast, we're going to 3 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: be taking you through the news around Splendor in the Grass. 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: It kicks off in just over a week's time up 5 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: in northern New South Wales. But there's been some last 6 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: minute rule changes that have resulted in a bit of drama. 7 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: It's a story that encapsulates government, culture and everything in between. 8 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: And I'll take you through it right after the news. 9 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,760 Speaker 1: But first, Billy, what is making headlines this morning? 10 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 2: Prime Minister Anthony Albanesi and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: have attended the first official day of the Pacific Islands 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 2: Forum in Fiji, with key topics on the agenda including 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: climate change and regional security. Ahead of his visit, Anthony 14 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: Albanesi said he wanted to send a message that Australia 15 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 2: is back re engaged with the Pacific. The government is 16 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 2: promising five hundred and twenty five million dollars in development assistance. 17 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: Sri Lankan President got to buy Rajapaksa has fled the 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: country and is currently in the Mold Dives. According to 19 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: in national media outlets, Roger Parksa is due to resign 20 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: after protest has entered his official residence on Sunday, However, 21 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: he has not yet spoken publicly. His resignation comes after 22 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: months of protests over his government's handling of a severe 23 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: economic crisis leading to shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. 24 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: And if you want a recap on everything that's happening 25 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: in Sri Lanka, go and have listened to Tuesday's episode 26 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: of the podcast. 27 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 2: Twitter has launched legal action against Elon Musk after the 28 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: billionaire pulled his takeover offer, citing Twitter's alleged withholding of 29 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: data relating to the number of spam accounts and bots 30 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: on the platform. Twitter are seeking to compel Musk to 31 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: follow through with the purchase as it was a binding 32 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 2: merger agreement. 33 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: And Today's good News, a new Barbie doll has been released, 34 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: representing British environmentalist Jane Goodall. The toy is made from 35 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: recycled plastic and Goodall said she has always aspired to 36 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: have a doll in order to give, in her words, 37 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: little girls some choice. 38 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,559 Speaker 2: Sam There's been some big news around Splendor in the Grass, 39 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 2: which is due to kickoff next weekend, and it sounds 40 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 2: like it's been a big blow to the arts industry 41 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 2: and the music festival industry. Can you take us to 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: the start? Where does this begin? 43 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: So Splendor in the Grass is one of the biggest 44 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 1: music festivals in Australia. There's fifty thousand people who attend. 45 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: It's been going on for a number of years now. 46 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: It's always in the same spot around Byron Bay in 47 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: northern New South Wales. And tickets for this year's festival, 48 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: which as you just said, takes place in about eight 49 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: or nine days time, actually started to go on sale 50 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: in March of twenty twenty. That was when we first 51 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: were starting to learn about this little virus called COVID, 52 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: and then the festival was delayed until October of twenty twenty. 53 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: It was then delayed by twelve months. It was then 54 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: delayed by another twelve months. So many ticket holders who 55 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: are attending next week actually have had their tickets in 56 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: their emails for a number of years now, right. 57 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: So why are we talking about it now? What's happened? 58 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: Well, the reason why it's in the news is because 59 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: of a last minute change from a body that I've 60 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: had to learn a lot about in the last couple 61 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: of days called the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority. So 62 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: basically a rule change was passed down last week. That 63 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: means that if you're between the ages of sixteen and 64 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: eighteen and you want to attend the festival, you have 65 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: to be accompanied by a parent or guardian the entire time. 66 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: So in previous years this regulation had only applied to 67 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: those who were under sixteen. So think about a ten 68 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: year old kid who wasn't allowed to walk around by themselves. 69 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: But if they were between sixteen and eighteen, and they 70 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: were going, say with their eighteen or nineteen year old friends, 71 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: they could be with their friends without a parent or 72 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: guardian present. Now, of course they couldn't have alcohol. That's 73 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: a clear breach of the state and the country's regulations, 74 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: and Splendors say that they had a lot of different 75 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: ways to stop young people getting access to alcohol at 76 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: the festival. In fact, the Splendor CEO told me they've 77 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: never had an underage drinking incident that's been alerted to 78 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: the police. Now, the problem here is that a number 79 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: of sixteen to eighteen year old ticket holders have had 80 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: to sell their ticket and can't attend this festival. And 81 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: keep in mind they might have had a ticket for 82 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: up to two years because they can't arrange for a 83 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: parent or guardian a to come but be to buy 84 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: a ticket and be there for them. 85 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: And so you've been following this story quite closely, and 86 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 2: I know that in the statement that Splendor put out 87 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: they said that this was not a decision made by them, 88 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 2: it was a decision made by New South Wales Police. 89 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: What happened when you contacted the police about this? 90 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: So that was my first kind of thought, here was 91 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: let's see what the police have to say. And I 92 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: contacted the police and they put me onto the Independent 93 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: Liquor and Gaming Authority or ILGA very quickly. They didn't 94 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: have much to say. They said this was not a 95 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: decision made by us, it was made by YOLGA. Then 96 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: I had a chat to ILGA. They're try and work 97 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 1: out what exactly had gone on here, and it looks 98 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 1: like there was a big change to the regulations a 99 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: couple of years ago with something called the Festival's Act. 100 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: And that is because in New South Wales there was 101 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: this one summer a couple of years ago, I think 102 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: it was twenty eighteen twenty nineteen whe six deaths from 103 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: drug overdoses at music festivals and as part of the 104 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: government response, they got everybody in the music festival industry 105 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: as well as key stakeholders like health officials, police and 106 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: liquor and Gaming Authority personnel to all come together and 107 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: sit down and work out how to have safer music festivals. 108 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: And it resulted in this piece of legislation, and part 109 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: of the piece of legislation empowered the Liquor and Gaming 110 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: Authority to be more strict with the plans and the 111 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: alcohol safe plans for these music festivals. Now, ILGA say 112 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: that they sat down with Splendor in the Grass a 113 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: month ago told them that they needed to have this regulation. 114 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: Splendor say that they said they could only do it 115 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 1: from next year. ILGA say that wasn't good enough. And 116 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: we're in a position now where ILGA said they would 117 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: only let alcohol be served at the festival if they 118 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: agreed to this sixteen to eighteen year old regulation. 119 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: It sounds like a classic, he said. She said, that's 120 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 2: just gone on lots and lots. You also contacted some 121 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 2: ministers from the New South Wales government to try and 122 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 2: understand what they're saying about this. What happened when you 123 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 2: contacted them. 124 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 1: Well, I thought it would be some interesting for ministers 125 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: to comment on because it has a big intersection of issues. Here. 126 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: We're talking about a part of the country that's been 127 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: hit really hard by flooding, We're talking about an industry 128 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: that's been hit really hard by the pandemic, and we're 129 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: talking about a tourism industry that needs to get back 130 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: on its feet more generally. But I didn't hear back 131 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: from the Arts Minister, and the Liquor and Gaming Minister 132 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 1: only had a very short comment for me. He just 133 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: said that he would defer all comments to ILGA. So 134 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 1: it seems like this independent Liquor and Gaming Authority is 135 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: the all powerful body that's making the big calls here. 136 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 2: So is there any sign that anything could change or 137 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 2: is this a seven stone rule that ILGA won't Budgeohn. 138 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: There's been quite a strong reaction from news outlets and 139 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: from users on social media and from artists as well, 140 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: saying that they want the opportunity to play in front 141 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: of some of their young fans. It all comes back 142 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: to this issue of timing and whether the timing has 143 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: been reasonable enough from ILGA. ILGA say that splendor knew 144 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: about this need to do it, but Splendors say that 145 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,239 Speaker 1: they were only given this short notice period. It doesn't 146 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: look like there's going to be any reversal of the decision. 147 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: Splendor now opening up the resale facility for those affected 148 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: ticket holders, and the CEO told me that she's extremely 149 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: disappointed in this, and for a festival that's had such 150 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: an anticipated lead time of almost two and a half years, 151 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: it's such a shame that people can't go anymore. She 152 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: did mention to me that they would be considering legal 153 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: action if there was a case there. I guess what 154 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: she's inferring there is that if they can prove that 155 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: it was an unreasonable direction, there's damages that could be sought. 156 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 2: It's definitely a story that we will keep a close 157 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: eye on. Thank you so much for listening to this 158 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 2: episode of The Daily Ods. If you could leave us 159 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 2: a review on Apple or a rating on Spotify, it 160 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 2: will really help the Daily Ods, which is a small 161 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: independent media company, to grow. Thanks so much and we 162 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 2: will see you tomorrow.