NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has come under fire recently from those within the live music community, with critics saying that her harsh policies have resulted in the cancellation of Mountain Sounds Festival among others.
When asked about the event’s cancellation on Monday, Berejiklian said “I don’t think it’s fair for organisers to blame anybody but themselves.”
“There are rules in place. We want young people to have fun, we want more tourism to the Central Coast and other places. But the festival organisers just have to obey the law. It’s not just about making a quick dollar, it’s also about keeping the people who turn up safe.”
“If you can’t spend money making your event safer, well that’s a decision for you, but it’s not fair to blame the government.”
Over the weekend, Mountain Sounds announced that the festival was cancelled and blamed the NSW government’s “war on festivals.”
“The Liberal party’s war on festivals in NSW is real and it’s robbing you of your freedom and culture,” reps of the festival wrote on Facebook. “Who would’ve known that lock-out laws were just the beginning of the death of live entertainment in NSW. This has now spread to larger-scale and multi-day regional events and it’s only getting worse.”
Peking Duk also came out against Berejiklian on Facebook, calling for fans to vote out Berejiklian and the Liberal NSW government out at the upcoming state election.
“Gladys get your head out of the sand, your policies and viewpoints need a reality check,” they wrote. “We don’t force roads to close because of road fatalities, we don’t ban alcohol due to (much higher) deaths from alcohol, we don’t shut down casino’s because of the trauma and grief they cause to the addicted. So why are you targeting music festivals like this? Why are you targeting the events that give so much back to the community?”
Watch the clip of Berejiklian below.
UPDATE 25/02/19: Mountain Sounds Festival Is In Liquidation, Owing $1.5 Million
