Western Australia are on their way to making ticket scalping illegal by next year – which means you can get into your Tame Impala show without an insanely marked-up ticket.
The Western Australian Government has already showed massive support for the state’s music industry this year by boosting it with a $3 million injection aimed at supporting local musicians and creating new jobs.
The Ticket Scalping Bill 2018 will be introduced into Parliament this week. If it gets passed, next year, it will be illegal for anyone to resell or advertise a ticket for more than 10% above its original value.
Individuals who are caught selling tickets outside of this bracket will face a hefty fine of $20,000, while companies could face up to $100,000.
Bots – computer programs that allow scalpers to buy large quantities of tickets and then resell them at inflated prices on other websites – will also be on the radar.
Websites will be monitored by WA’s Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, while fines will be enforced by the Commissioner for Consumer Protecton.
The state’s scalping regime will be broader than Victoria’s, which only applies to major events, and will be more closely aligned with NSW’s laws – i.e. not allowing tickets to be sold at 10% above the original price, and not allowing an event organiser to cancel tickets if they were allegedly resold.
Via The Music.
