The organisers of Snowtunes, a new Aussie music festival at the centre of a firestorm of controversy, have issued a response to a press release from the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming & Racing (OLGR), which claimed the festival’s inaugural event saw numerous safety and security breaches.
As Tone Deaf reported earlier today, in their press release, the OLGR claimed multiple serious safety and security breaches were detected during the event, including an intoxicated 13-year-old girl found dazed and unaware in the female toilets.
Snowtunes was billed as a seven-hour, all-ages and family-friendly event, with a lineup featuring some of Australia’s hottest young acts, including electronic duo Hermitude and homegrown rappers Allday and Tkay Maidza.
Other allegations against festival organisers included a lack of water stations, inappropriate attire for festival guards which made them hard to spot for patrons, and numerous intoxicated punters behaving inappropriately in front of an all-ages crowd with numerous minors.
“Snowtunes organisers are shocked that without consultation post-event that OLGR have released a statement which contains inaccuracies,” a statement from the organisers of the all-ages event now reads.
“Representatives from St Johns, Red Cross Save a Mate, local Police, and Security who were present on the night all provided positive feedback at the cessation of the event.”
“Organisers of Snowtunes reiterate that safety and responsible service of alcohol are always our highest priority during any event. The Snowtunes event met all security requirements with a high concentration of qualified personnel.”
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“Interaction with on-site policing was extremely positive and resulted in the police complimenting the organisers at the conclusion of the event.” Organisers go on to state that they will pursue action against the OLGR.
“The Snowtunes organisers are seeking active engagement with OLGR regarding the content of their media release, and will be engaging with the Ombudsman to evaluate the decision taken by OLGR to release this statement without appropriate consultation,” they write.
“These issues were not raised with Snowtunes organisers post the event, and the organisers are taking steps to resolve the situation with OLGR by providing all evidence and supporting statements from qualified personnel that stand by Snowtunes in refuting the claims made in this press release.”
“The organisers require OLGR to provide clarity and evidence to support their claims,” they conclude. In the meantime, the OLGR have said they will be pursuing regulatory action against Snowtunes organisers, Snowtunes Pty Ltd.
