Aus Promoter On US Singer’s Deportation: ‘We Made A Mistake’

2 September 2017 | 1:17 pm | Staff Writer

“We know ignorance is no excuse and are deeply disappointed with ourselves on this."

Australian promoters Bone Soup have spoken out after a US artist they were touring, Colleen Green, was detained and deported by immigration on the eve of her Aussie tour.

Earlier this week, Green was detained at Melbourne airport overnight after officers discovered she was a touring artist and had a tourist visa, before being sent back to LA.

In a statement issued to The Music, Bone Soup said they were “deeply saddened about this situation”.

“We wrongly believed that being a promotional break-even tour and having no band Colleen would be within the legal framework to enter the country,” the DIY touring company said.

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“Once we knew of our error we did our best to get the appropriate documentation together but were unable to have it completed in time.

“We know ignorance is no excuse and are deeply disappointed with ourselves on this. Letting down an artist and having her experience what she has, as well as letting her fans down is a terrible thing. This has been a harsh lesson and we have made a mistake, which we will never make again.”

Refunds are being automatically sent to all ticket buyers, and Bone Soup stated they were doing their best “to allay the situation and reschedule a tour for the future.”