Police plan to drive up WA concert ticket costs

Perth music promoters have warned that concert ticket prices will soar after the Western Australia Government gave WA Police the green light to charge organisers for the cost of providing officers at events.
The West Australian newspaper has reported that Big Day Out organiser Chris Knight said the decision was a blatant revenue-grab likely to add more than $100,000 to the eventâs running costs.
He said it was inevitable the additional costs would be passed on to ticket prices. An adult ticket to this yearâs Big Day Out cost $132.
âI am probably going to have to put my tickets up significantly,�? Mr Knight said. He said the final cost of a ticket for next yearâs event would also be determined by the quality of its performers and exchange rates.
Though Big Day Out was likely to survive the cost of paying for police, Knight said other less profitable events on the Perth festival calendar would struggle to cope.
David Chitty, the organiser of events including Southbound and the West Coast Blues ânâ Roots festival, said promoters had been given little say in how the system should work.
Chitty said it could be successful given police were sometimes more reliable than some security services.
âBut the devil will be in the detail,�? Chitty told the West Australian, adding âone can only hope that there is a process of communication and consultation.�?