Victorian MP & Ex-Muso Wants To Crack Down On Ticket Scalping

Nationals Member for Western Victoria and former Loin Groin member David O'Brien has ramped up his campaign efforts, coming out swinging at those engaging in ticket scalping and bringing the issue to the fore among music-industry concerns in the countdown to the state election.

In a statement made today at the grounds of the annual Meredith Music Festival — an event at which O'Brien and Loin Groin once performed — the member upped the ante on his campaign with an invite extended to Sport and Recreation Minister Damian Drum to meet with MMF organisers to discuss a proposed review of practices impacting festival access and affordability — illegitimate ticket on-sale chief among them.

"I'm fighting for fair access to local live rock events for fans," O'Brien said. "I've long said we need tougher anti-scalping laws to prevent unscrupulous scalping operations buying up tickets and then selling them online at exorbitant prices.

"It stops affordable access to our top regional live music events in places like Meredith. I will work to have these practices examined and reviewed to make sure we get solutions to promote access and affordability to our great live music acts."

Given the close relationship, Meredith Music Festival threw its support behind O'Brien's initiative, with spokesperson Aunty Meredith decreeing: "Scalping is an absurd phenomenon that serves no good purpose on any level.

"Opportunistic blood-suckers are getting something for nothing, causing nothing but grief and ill will, and costing legitimate fans time and money trying to go about their regular activities. Scalping is un-Australian," Aunty Meredith said.

O'Brien was a key driver in securing $1 million from the Coalition government to direct towards Music Victoria's Regional Live Music Strategy, which he says will "involve re-establishing recognised regional touring circuits which will become an accepted route for touring acts", and intimated that the revitalisation of the state's regional scenes — in addition to a blanket increase in accessibility and affordability to music events — would be primary concerns for the government, should it succeed in obtaining re-election.

"We need this issue fixed and I want a re-elected Coalition government to closely examine how we can effectively prevent unfair scalping at live music events," O'Brien said.

The state election is set for this Saturday, November 29. Take a peek at O'Brien (rockin' that bass) during his glory days at Meredith, below.