Published Tuesday, 31 October, 2006 at 11:24 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Local Government, Planning and Sport
The Honourable Andrew Fraser
SCALPERS BEWARE – QLD GOVERNMENT TOUGHENS LAWS
New laws to be introduced into Parliament this week will establish penalties for not only illicit ticket scalpers but people who purchase tickets – often at grossly inflated prices - to events at major sports Queensland facilities.
Premier Peter Beattie and Sport Minister Andrew Fraser today said the Major Sports Facilities Amendment Bill - which amends the Major Sports Facilities Act 2001 – would also be the catalyst for a crack down on tickets sold via the internet, increasingly the major tool used by scalpers to ply their trade.
The new laws include penalties of up to $1,500 for scalpers and $375, for buyers.
Mr Beattie said the fines would apply only to tickets sold at more than 10 per cent of their original price, protecting people who want to sell tickets for legitimate reasons.
Additionally, he said, not-for-profit groups who auction tickets to major events for charity would be exempt.
“We are not setting out to punish those people who purchased tickets to a concert or sporting event and then cannot attend and sell them to friends for the original price,” Mr Beattie said.
“This is about targeting those scalpers who are profiteering by selling tickets at prices well above what they originally paid for them.
“The penalties are tough and they could also be applied to individual transactions increasing the total penalty for people who sell large numbers of tickets.
“Scalping is an activity which deprives the promoters, the sporting venues, the sportsmen and women and the artists who stage concerts at our major sporting facilities of their rightful revenue.
“This legislation will also ensure the public has equitable access to tickets to events held at those venues.”
Major sporting facilities in Queensland are used on a regular basis by a variety of groups including the National Rugby League, Queensland Rugby Football League, the Australian Rugby Union, Queensland Rugby Union, the Football Federation of Australia, Cricket Australia and Cricket Queensland.
“In addition, our facilities like Suncorp Stadium and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre are used by major promoters who will host sell-out concerts over the next two months by the likes of Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams.”
Mr Fraser said increasingly scalpers were doing business on the internet, using such websites such as eBay.
“There has been a rapid increase in the scalping of tickets to major sports facilities particularly by profiteers plying their trade via eBay,” Mr Fraser said.
“For example tickets to next month’s Australian Ashes Cricket Series which sold out within hours were later available for as much as 10 times their original value.
“eBay does not regulate the practice of reselling tickets on line but does warn buyers and sellers that they must act lawfully and provides specific guidelines in relation to the resale of tickets.
“The creation of offences contained in this Bill will provide a barrier to ticket scalping on eBay which goes beyond the current practice of event organisers monitoring the website and often cancelling tickets sold at grossly inflated prices.”
The new laws allow for the removal of any scalped tickets advertised for sale on eBay or for prosecutions to be pursued. This will not only prevent the unfair sale of tickets at excessive prices but the subsequent disappointment for a buyer being refused entry once their tickets are cancelled.
The Government has approached eBay to request they post clear guidelines so their customers are aware tickets to major events in Queensland should only be advertised in a fixed price format.
eBay has already set a precedent by similarly instructing its clients in relation to the sale of tickets to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
“We live in an age where it is no longer necessary to hand over cash to a shady character in a back alley to get your hands on scalped tickets,” Mr Fraser said.
“Today’s scalpers are far more sophisticated, hiding behind a computer screen, but this new move takes important steps to seek them out, punish them lawfully and take back those profits which are not rightfully theirs.”
While the Bill may not be passed in time for the Ashes cricket series commencing in Brisbane on November 23, it is hoped it will be passed in time for the One-Day International Series at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on January 19.
Tuesday October 31, 2006
Media Contact: Chris Taylor – Office of the Minister for Sport – 0419 710 874
Premier Peter Beattie and Sport Minister Andrew Fraser today said the Major Sports Facilities Amendment Bill - which amends the Major Sports Facilities Act 2001 – would also be the catalyst for a crack down on tickets sold via the internet, increasingly the major tool used by scalpers to ply their trade.
The new laws include penalties of up to $1,500 for scalpers and $375, for buyers.
Mr Beattie said the fines would apply only to tickets sold at more than 10 per cent of their original price, protecting people who want to sell tickets for legitimate reasons.
Additionally, he said, not-for-profit groups who auction tickets to major events for charity would be exempt.
“We are not setting out to punish those people who purchased tickets to a concert or sporting event and then cannot attend and sell them to friends for the original price,” Mr Beattie said.
“This is about targeting those scalpers who are profiteering by selling tickets at prices well above what they originally paid for them.
“The penalties are tough and they could also be applied to individual transactions increasing the total penalty for people who sell large numbers of tickets.
“Scalping is an activity which deprives the promoters, the sporting venues, the sportsmen and women and the artists who stage concerts at our major sporting facilities of their rightful revenue.
“This legislation will also ensure the public has equitable access to tickets to events held at those venues.”
Major sporting facilities in Queensland are used on a regular basis by a variety of groups including the National Rugby League, Queensland Rugby Football League, the Australian Rugby Union, Queensland Rugby Union, the Football Federation of Australia, Cricket Australia and Cricket Queensland.
“In addition, our facilities like Suncorp Stadium and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre are used by major promoters who will host sell-out concerts over the next two months by the likes of Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams.”
Mr Fraser said increasingly scalpers were doing business on the internet, using such websites such as eBay.
“There has been a rapid increase in the scalping of tickets to major sports facilities particularly by profiteers plying their trade via eBay,” Mr Fraser said.
“For example tickets to next month’s Australian Ashes Cricket Series which sold out within hours were later available for as much as 10 times their original value.
“eBay does not regulate the practice of reselling tickets on line but does warn buyers and sellers that they must act lawfully and provides specific guidelines in relation to the resale of tickets.
“The creation of offences contained in this Bill will provide a barrier to ticket scalping on eBay which goes beyond the current practice of event organisers monitoring the website and often cancelling tickets sold at grossly inflated prices.”
The new laws allow for the removal of any scalped tickets advertised for sale on eBay or for prosecutions to be pursued. This will not only prevent the unfair sale of tickets at excessive prices but the subsequent disappointment for a buyer being refused entry once their tickets are cancelled.
The Government has approached eBay to request they post clear guidelines so their customers are aware tickets to major events in Queensland should only be advertised in a fixed price format.
eBay has already set a precedent by similarly instructing its clients in relation to the sale of tickets to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
“We live in an age where it is no longer necessary to hand over cash to a shady character in a back alley to get your hands on scalped tickets,” Mr Fraser said.
“Today’s scalpers are far more sophisticated, hiding behind a computer screen, but this new move takes important steps to seek them out, punish them lawfully and take back those profits which are not rightfully theirs.”
While the Bill may not be passed in time for the Ashes cricket series commencing in Brisbane on November 23, it is hoped it will be passed in time for the One-Day International Series at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on January 19.
Tuesday October 31, 2006
Media Contact: Chris Taylor – Office of the Minister for Sport – 0419 710 874