The application form states:
4. A submission is NOT confidential and all pages of the submission
WILL BE given to the applicant. The applicant will be given an
opportunity to respond to any issues contained in the submission.
This event is a music festival for a large number of people (1500) who are not resident in, and have no connection to the local area. The organiser's stated target demographic for the event is 25 - 35 year old Sydneysiders. There is absolutely no reason for this event being given any local, state or regional significance which is of course a necessary qualification for a limited licence award. It appears to be an attempt by the organisers to gather a much larger number of paying patrons together (in a less controllable situation) than they could hope to achieve at any enclosed venue in the city.
The event is being held at a location where physical access to the property and hence ability to purchase the alcohol sold under this licence will be very difficult if not impossible to police. This is NOT a closed location where attendees IDs can be checked for age at every entry point. From details provided in the proponent's security plan there will not be enough security personnel to monitor the 2.5 kms of boundary fencing of the event location. Underage consumption of alcohol will also be impossible to control considering the ease with which IDs will be exchanged between patrons. And of course there is every possiblity that large quantities of additional alcohol will be imported to the event, hidden in the vehicles brought on site by those attending. And please don't think all vehicles can be thoroughly searched by the minimal number of security personnel proposed by the organisers.
Please consider the potential of granting a licence for such a large number of people in a situation which will be very difficult if not impossible to enforce the very basics of RSA. I would like you to carefully consider all of the possibilities of this event being licenced to sell alcohol. A very real example of what happened at a similar event in January 2014, is provided from the following Newcastle Herald newspaper report :
SIX ambulances and a rescue helicopter were needed to treat at least 16 people at a religious camp and concert held on a remote property near Karuah. Police said 1300 teenagers aged between 15 and 18 had spent four days at the Tahlee property as part of the ‘‘wildlife summer camp’’ being run by Hillsong Australia.
But emergency services were ‘‘stretched to breaking point’’ when paramedics, police and the Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter sped to the property on Thursday night following reports that people had been crushed in a ‘‘mosh pit’’ incident. A police spokesman said one girl suffered suspected spinal injuries after ‘‘falling’’ from a pile of gym mats while 15 others were treated for a range of issues including heat exhaustion, an asthma attack and neck injuries.
An Ambulance Service of NSW spokeswoman said four people were taken to hospital, including two in the helicopter, with head and back injuries after being trampled on. One girl remained in John Hunter Children’s Hospital in a stable condition.
One can only assume that the above event was held in a smilar location but that the amount of alcohol consumed was minimal. But it does show what can happen in such locations and what the consequences are.
There is in fact absolutely no reason why this event cannot be held in this or any other location without a liquor licence as the primary reason put forward for it is music appreciation not alcohol appreciation. The increased risks generated by the addition of alcohol to what is already a very high risk location/situation should be considered long and hard by the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority.
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