Western Australian Premier rejects calls for anti-scalping legislation

Amid reports of ticket scalping in advance of this weekend’s AFL preliminary finals in Perth, Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has rejected calls for new laws to crack down on ticket reselling.

With both tonight (Friday 25th September) and Saturday’s games at the 43,000-capacity Domain Stadium sold out, tickets for the Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles fixtures have been appearing for sale at inflated prices on the internet during the week.

A private members’ Bill  based on Victorian anti-scalping laws introduced to the Western Australian Parliament on Wednesday by State Labor Leader Mark McGowan looks unlikely to get necessary backing with Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett telling AFL.com.au "I don't think it needs specific laws, I think it's a matter (for) ticketing bodies to administer it carefully, and I think technology allows them to do that in a better way.

"The AFL I think has done a good job in reducing scalping.

"You're always going to get people maybe selling off a ticket, but I think professional scalpers are gone."

Fremantle Chief Executive Steve Rosich told AFL.com.au "I'm happy with the process that's been in place.

"This is an AFL event and it's run smoothly - our members had the right to access tickets first and they did that in great numbers.

"It is what it is, it's a sought-after event, a full sellout crowd expected and that comes with the territory."

Adding to the complications is a new Ticketmaster resale system, which allows tickets re-sold through official channels, but at higher prices thanks largely to associated fees.

Rosich said the system, which is common practice in America, was in its infancy, adding “we'll wait and see in the cold light of day how that works this year and we'll consider that in due course.”

As of yesterday, the AFL made available a small number of unsold tickets which came back into the ticket system from corporate and club on-sellers.