If you are planning on heading to the Big Red Bash outside Birdsville or the Mundi Mundi Bash near Broken Hill next year there is a new rule in place — no jab, no jive.
The organisers of the Bash festivals have announced COVID-19 vaccinations will be compulsory for anyone attending the events in 2022.
The rule will apply to anyone stepping foot on the event premises including ticket holders, artists, crew, volunteers, and vendors.
Outback Music Festival Group managing director Greg Donovan said he felt he owed a duty of care to festival-goers.
"Our patrons travel thousands of kilometres to get to and from our events … through many little outback towns and communities," Mr Donovan said.
"We bring 10,000 people together from every corner of Australia.
He said he also felt responsible for the remote communities that people passed through on their way to the events, particularly those with significant Indigenous populations.
In western New South Wales, where the Mundi Mundi Bash is scheduled for April next year, 155 cases of COVID-19 had been recorded as of yesterday.
A first for the industry
While some employers like Qantas and SPC have announced no-jab, no-job policies, Mr Donovan said he believed this vaccination rule is a first for the event industry in Australia.
Marc Christowski, the managing director of Empire Touring which works with the Bash festivals, said he anticipated other events would follow suit.
"We're in the business of trying to reinstate an industry that's been decimated," Mr Christowski said.
He said vaccination policies were the best way to get the live music industry back on its feet.
"It's the only thing that is a pathway out of a disaster," Mr Christowski said.
Backlash expected
Mr Donovan said he was anticipating some backlash to the rule from a "very vocal minority".
"There's a lot of people who are very staunchly against vaccination," he said.
"We respect their rights, but they are a minority.
Asked about whether he had investigated if the rule is lawful, Mr Donovan said he understands the legal landscape around no-jab, no-entry policies to be unclear.
"If anyone wants to have a crack at us and sue us for whatever they might think — discrimination or something like that — we'd be glad for that to happen," he said.
"It might actually establish some laws in this area."
People who were unable to attend the 2021 Big Red Bash due to the direct impact of lockdowns or border closures were given ticket rollovers for next year.
They will also be required to be fully vaccinated, despite the no-jab, no-jive policy being implemented after they purchased their tickets.
"They are effectively complimentary tickets.
"They will come with their own set of terms and conditions and this [rule] will be part of those terms and conditions."
