Latest news with #SplendourintheGrass
7NEWS
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Millions in government funding couldn't save Australia's biggest music festivals
National touring festival Listen Out is the latest of Australia's major music festivals to either hit pause or fold, despite receiving millions in government grants designed to keep them afloat. It's no secret production costs are higher than ever, artist fees are skyrocketing, and the cost-of-living crisis has led to more conservative spending by music fans. But the cancellations of events such as Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival and Groovin' The Moo point to a brutal truth: government money hasn't been enough to overcome rising costs, artist fees, insurance challenges and shifting consumer behaviours. Perhaps the biggest funding injection came via the federal government's Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund, a $200 million program launched in 2020 as part of the COVID-19 Creative Economy Support Package. Crucially, six Australian festivals to either pause or fold post-pandemic received a combined $19.33 million in government funding. Splendour in the Grass: $16 million in government funding Splendour in the Grass was by far the most heavily supported, receiving: $1.1 million in RISE funding for its 2021 edition $5.8 million in RISE grants to its co-organisers Secret Sounds and Live Nation Australia Festivals More than $10 million in grants from the NSW Government through Create NSW's COVID support and relaunch schemes As previously reported by the 2024 and 2025 editions were cancelled, with organisers citing financial strain and soaring operational costs. Critics, however, pointed to waning audience interest and line-up dissatisfaction as contributing factors. Falls Festival: $1.5 million in government funding The long-running Falls Festival secured $1.5 million in RISE funding in 2021 to help reshape the event. But after back-to-back cancellations, it remains shelved. Promoters cited financial and operational challenges that rendered the festival unsustainable in its current form. Groovin The Moo: $1.2 million in government funding Regional touring festival Groovin The Moo received $1.2 million in federal funding to relaunch, but was cancelled for the second year in a row in 2025 — a sobering sign of the struggles facing regional live music. Listen Out: $500,000 in government funding Dance and hip-hop festival Listen Out was granted up to $500,000 from the NSW Government's Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund. But just this week, organisers announced it wouldn't return in its traditional format. Instead, it will re-emerge as Listen Out Presents, a series of curated shows. Wide Open Space: $100,000 in government funding Northern Territory's Wide Open Space Festival, which received support from a territorial grant and the federal Live Music Australia program in 2023, cancelled its 2025 return. Organisers blamed rising costs and inadequate funding despite government backing. Caloundra Music Festival: $30,000 in government funding The Sunshine Coast Council pulled the plug on the Caloundra Music Festival in 2024, despite it receiving $30,000 from Events Queensland the year prior. Organisers pointed to mounting costs, declining ticket sales and ongoing uncertainty across the sector. While there's no silver bullet, one major festival has managed to buck the trend. In an interview with music industry blog The Black Hoody, Laneway Festival promoter Danny Rogers said the festival thrived by focusing less on big-name headliners and more on fostering culture. 'Laneway was always primarily focused on trying to create a cultural event that prioritised future icons vs. artists that were already massive headliners,' Rogers said. 'A lot of people think you can build festival lineups on radio play and data,' he added. 'But that doesn't create a culture — it feels homogeneous and pretty samey. We have passed on so many acts over the years which would have sold us more tickets but they didn't fit what we were trying to say as a festival.' Government support or not, one thing remains clear: culture thrives when its most engaged contributors are genuinely nurtured. Festivals that fail to connect authentically with audiences who understand the event's ethos are unlikely to survive.
New York Post
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Nightlife-hating Gen Z now planning morning raves with espresso shots — and no tequila
From the moment you turn 18, your one desire is supposed to be going out and partying. Getting ready to go out with your friends, spending a day's wages on vodka, lemon, lime and bitters, and dancing to your heart's content until it's time to get the last train home is a fond – if distorted – memory for those who've left that phase of their lives in the past. But, it seems Gen Z-ers have entered their 'grandma' phase a little early, swapping late nights for early mornings and alcohol for coffee in a shocking twist that's left millennials calling them (i.e. us) boring. Morning raves, it's a thing! If you haven't seen the reports of a decline in alcohol consumption among Gen Z-ers, you may have noticed an increase in non-alcoholic drinks at your local bottlo or pub. Gen Z is now hosting raves in the early hours of the morning. TikTok/@nikitadunne6 There's also been a steady decrease in the number of music festivals happening, with some of the most iconic events, like Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo and Spilt Milk cancelling in recent years due to low ticket sales, or an inability to score those big acts on an already stretched budget. Blame it on the pandemic or the cost of living crisis. Regardless, it's become very clear – Gen Z just doesn't want to party. Well, unless it's in the morning, apparently. The popularity of morning raves is officially on the rise – fueled by coffee and matcha instead of Cruisers and tequila shots. Morning raves are pretty much exactly what you're probably picturing them to be. You can go and get your morning coffee, except there will also be a DJ. Think, a louder and, in my opinion, way more fun, version of the morning run club or swim at the beach that every Sydneysider seems to be into these days. These morning raves are being held all over the world, and are now taking Australia by storm. Caffeine Club is one company running morning raves across Queensland, with events starting from 7am. Mix and Matcha is another group holding events out of cafes in Melbourne. Is it cool, or a total snoozefest? All the fun without the hangover sounds like a solid day out to me. And, it seems young people agree, with events selling out and garnering rave reviews. 'Hahah this is iconicccc!!' said one commenter on TikTok. 'Like having your morning dance party with a bunch of other crazy humans. Keep it uppp guys!' 'Hahah this is iconicccc!!' said one commenter on TikTok. TikTok/@nikitadunne6 'This is sick!!!!' said another. 'This is my kind of club!' a third agreed. But, it's clear not everyone agrees. One Caffeine Club video went viral earlier this year, and garnered a few millennial hate comments. 'And the crowd goes mild,' one person said. 'Nice, but this is not a rave,' said another.
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Perth Now
‘Grave concerns' in strip search case
A judge presiding over the case of a woman suing the state of NSW over a strip search at a popular music festival has told the court she has 'grave concerns' about the conduct of the defence, who admitted after two years the search was unlawful. Raya Meredith was made to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches from 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC argued in her closing statements Tuesday and Wednesday that there was a failure on the part of 'senior echelons' of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. The state of NSW is being sued over a strip search of a woman. NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: News Corp Australia Julian Sexton SC, who is representing the state of NSW, pushed back on claims by Ms Nomchong about police training and the findings of a report by the Lessons Learned Unit (LLU) following a complaint after a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty. Mr Sexton said the report, contrary to submissions by Ms Nomchong, did not represent an 'admission of widespread unlawful use of strip searches' or routine unlawful strip searches and instead only made 'recommendations about best practice'. He went on to tell the court that out of 172,000 searches in 2016, 3850 were strip searches. Resulting from those searches were only 79 complaints, four of which were sustained, with a further two sustained complaints the following year. 'This demonstrates that there was a decreasing number of complaints sustained. There were only five complaints sustained in the period up until November 2018. That doesn't indicate a widespread use of unlawful searches,' Mr Saxton said. He made similar claims about the 'very small number' of civil cases. Justice Dina Yehia said the defence case and state of NSW's admission that Ms Meredith's strip search was illegal were of 'grave concern' during Thursday's hearing. Justice Yehia told Mr Saxton before the lunch adjournment that 'the conduct of the proceedings in relation to the three iterations of defence that were initially relied upon, that is a matter, I'll be quite honest with you, of grave concern to me. 'All I have is three officers' statements that say either that they don't remember the search at all or both that they don't remember the search nor remember the plaintiff, the lead plaintiff in those circumstances,' she said, referring to Ms Meredith. The closing statements are now in their third day. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia 'I'm just not sure how this could ever have proceeded in the way that it did with the initial pleadings.' Mr Saxton said the admission about the legality of the search was 'more accurate to say it was an admission based on the absence of proof' and police may have based their recollections on 'practice' rather than specific memory. In response, Justice Yehia said: 'An assertion that the officer's assessment of the plaintiff's demeanour, physical appearance, body language and answers to questions while they spoke outside the tent is very specific.' Under NSW law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers'. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time.
West Australian
15-05-2025
- West Australian
Judge's ‘grave concerns' in NSW strip search class action case
A judge presiding over the case of a woman suing the state of NSW over a strip search at a popular music festival has told the court she has 'grave concerns' about the conduct of the defence, who admitted after two years the search was unlawful. Raya Meredith was made to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches from 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC argued in her closing statements Tuesday and Wednesday that there was a failure on the part of 'senior echelons' of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. Julian Sexton SC, who is representing the state of NSW, pushed back on claims by Ms Nomchong about police training and the findings of a report by the Lessons Learned Unit (LLU) following a complaint after a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty. Mr Sexton said the report, contrary to submissions by Ms Nomchong, did not represent an 'admission of widespread unlawful use of strip searches' or routine unlawful strip searches and instead only made 'recommendations about best practice'. He went on to tell the court that out of 172,000 searches in 2016, 3850 were strip searches. Resulting from those searches were only 79 complaints, four of which were sustained, with a further two sustained complaints the following year. 'This demonstrates that there was a decreasing number of complaints sustained. There were only five complaints sustained in the period up until November 2018. That doesn't indicate a widespread use of unlawful searches,' Mr Saxton said. He made similar claims about the 'very small number' of civil cases. Justice Dina Yehia said the defence case and state of NSW's admission that Ms Meredith's strip search was illegal were of 'grave concern' during Thursday's hearing. Justice Yehia told Mr Saxton before the lunch adjournment that 'the conduct of the proceedings in relation to the three iterations of defence that were initially relied upon, that is a matter, I'll be quite honest with you, of grave concern to me. 'All I have is three officers' statements that say either that they don't remember the search at all or both that they don't remember the search nor remember the plaintiff, the lead plaintiff in those circumstances,' she said, referring to Ms Meredith. 'I'm just not sure how this could ever have proceeded in the way that it did with the initial pleadings.' Mr Saxton said the admission about the legality of the search was 'more accurate to say it was an admission based on the absence of proof' and police may have based their recollections on 'practice' rather than specific memory. In response, Justice Yehia said: 'An assertion that the officer's assessment of the plaintiff's demeanour, physical appearance, body language and answers to questions while they spoke outside the tent is very specific.' Under NSW law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers'. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time.
West Australian
14-05-2025
- West Australian
‘Senior echelons' of NSW Police's failure before woman's ‘humiliating' strip search: court
The 'senior echelons' of the NSW Police Force failed to properly train and supervise police officers before a woman's 'humiliating' strip search at a popular music festival that prompted a landmark class action lawsuit, a court has been told. Raya Meredith was forced to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches between 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC, has argued in her closing statements, which continued on Wednesday, that there was an 'abject failure' on the part of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. Under the law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time. The state of NSW has maintained searching Ms Meredith's breast and genital area were 'objectively reasonably necessary', a claim Ms Nomchong described as 'outrageous' and claimed there was no 'no basis for the strip search in the first place'. She told Judge Dina Yehia that she would have to make factual findings in relation to Ms Meredith's pleadings in the case but admitted damages might be mitigated by changes since made by police – changes she said were available at the time, too. The state of NSW for 2½ years denied the search was unlawful. In her evidence, recited by Ms Nomchong on Tuesday, Ms Meredith said she remembered 'wanting to scream at her (the officer). I remember feeling disgusted that another woman was putting me through this. I was nauseated by this point. I felt like vomiting.' Ms Nomchong is seeking $5000 in damages for the 'pat down' as well as aggravated damages because of the 'colossal magnitude' of the contraventions made during the search, which was not lawful and 'breached nearly every safeguard'. She also alleged lawyers representing the state of NSW had issued a subpoena to Services Australia for Ms Meredith's entire medical history despite there not being a claim for personal injury damages, 'having the effect of intimidating the plaintiff'. 'The plaintiff's evidence was if 'I could have walked out of this case then and there I would have',' Ms Nomchong said. Much of Tuesday's hearing centred on what training was given to police, including at the police academy, in regard to the carrying out of strip searches as well as what Ms Nomchong claimed could have been done to avoid the contraventions. She told the court that plans had been drawn up in response to a complaint made following a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty and an investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission as well as a sticker systems officers could have deployed.
