The Victorian government has taken steps to prevent scalpers from reselling sought-after Taylor Swift concert tickets at exorbitant prices.
The state minister for tourism, sport and major events, Steve Dimopoulos, announced on Tuesday afternoon that the pop star’s 2024 Eras tour, which includes two concert dates at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, would be now designated a “major event”, which activates a number of restrictions under Victoria’s anti-scalping laws.
The announcement comes after Guardian Australia reported tickets to Swift’s Sydney and Melbourne concerts were being sold through the ticket reseller Viagogo at hugely inflated prices, just hours after an exclusive, limited presale opened on Monday.
One ticket for the Melbourne gigs was listed on Viagogo for $3,144 – 249% of the official maximum price for the most expensive ticket package through the official retailer, Ticketek.
Under anti-scalping laws in Victoria, tickets to a designated “major event” cannot be resold or listed for sale for more than 110% of their original value.
The law also requires vendors to be authorised by the event organiser, and individual ticket advertisements must include ticket and seating details.
Penalties for contravening the law range from $925 to a maximum of $554,760, depending on the nature of the offence.
Anti-scalping laws vary across the Australian states. Dimopoulos said the major event ticketing declaration had been made for Swift’s Melbourne performances due to the expected strong demand for tickets.
“As the live music capital of Australia, Melbourne is Taylor-made to host iconic events like this,” he said. “By protecting our major events from ticket scalpers, we’re ensuring fans have the best chance possible of seeing their music idols.
“Our message to ticket scalpers is clear – don’t sell Taylor Swift tickets at inflated prices, otherwise you will be fined.”
The first limited tranche of tickets for the US singer’s much-anticipated Australian concert series went on presale through American Express and Ticketek on Monday, with two VIP packages for shows in Melbourne and Sydney selling for $899.90 or $1,249.90.
The packages quickly sold out, despite some technical hitches, but tickets began popping up on reseller websites almost immediately, in some cases with huge mark-ups.
Jarni Blakkarly from the consumer advocacy organisation Choice said it showed the need for nationally consistent anti-scalping legislation.
“There should be uniform laws across the country so people have the same protections, whether you’re attending in Melbourne or Sydney,” Blakkarly said.
A spokesperson for Viagogo said ticket prices on the platform were set by sellers and “ultimately fans decide the ticket price that meets their budget. It’s important to note that prices can change and are not necessarily an indication of what a fan will spend.”
Viagogo was “monitoring the on-sale for Taylor Swift and the inventory on our site from sellers closely to ensure fulfilment and that these tickets are abiding by local laws, in line with our guarantee. We are actively reviewing listings and will take action as necessary.”
