Close Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
  • Home New
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Wednesday, July 2
Breaking News
  • E-bike rider charged following fatal collision in Hastings
Facebook X (Twitter)
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Home New
Breaking News
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»Concert virus plans approved – mayor
News

Concert virus plans approved – mayor

By Keith PlattMarch 9, 2021Updated:July 16, 2024No Comments3 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

PREPARATION of a COVID-safe plan was part of the requirements of a permit issued for a two-day music concert held last month at The Briars, Mount Martha.

Mornington Peninsula Shire charged promoters $10,000 for the use of the council-owned property and says it only gave the concert the go ahead after an assessment by the state government.

Held over the 20-21 February weekend to audiences of 8000 each day, the SummerSalt concert was accused of overcrowding and lack of social distancing on social media.

“People bought their tickets and went along … If they were worried about transmission, perhaps it wasn’t a good place to go,” the mayor Cr Despi O’Connor said when responding to presenter Virginia Trioli on ABC Radio.

Trioli had said Cr O’Connor did not “sound as concerned by it as those that attended” who regarded it as “potentially being an event of transmission”.

Cr O’Connor said there had been “COVID plans, there on the ground, absolutely, from both the state and council”.

She said the state government had approved the concert and the shire had issued a permit and “rented out our space”.

The area allocated at The Briars for the concert was “not a small space” and the number of people allowed to attend had been capped.

Mount Martha resident Ken Anderson said he had been “appalled” to see TV news reports of the concert “with ecstatic humans jiving around waving their arms in the air and completely ignoring the social distancing requirements of all public events in Victoria”.

He said the “short sighted people who issue permits for these events” should cancel them and apologise to the people of Mount Martha.

Mr Anderson said he had received a commitment last year that “these events” would no longer be held at The Briars (“Ratepayers playing second fiddle to music concerts” Letters Page 31). A council officer last week wrote to him saying the shire was “trying to strike a balance in activating the site to provide long term financial stability, supporting the recovery of businesses that have been severely impacted by COVID-19 (e.g. event providers, artists etc), while keeping the site accessible and free to those who love it for what it is”.

Jessica Wingad, the shire’s director of place, said the government’s permit followed “an assessment by the public health advisory panel and Chief Health Officer”.

The area allocated for the concert measured 30,500 square metres.

“Under the state government approval process the organisers were required to prepare a COVID safe events plan and were responsible for adherence to it,” Ms Wingad said.

“We understand staff from the Department of Health and Human Services and Victoria Police were in attendance to assists the organisers.”

The concert at The Briars was part of the national SummerSalt tour being staged by Zaccaria Concerts and Touring and including performances by Emily Wurramara, Montaigne, Boy & Bear, John Butler, The Cat Empire and The Teskey Brothers.

It was the first time Perth-based Zaccaria, which started selling tickets last November, had hired The Briars.

Four hours of Sunday’s show, which sold out, was live-streamed on the internet.

The Briars concert followed a similar event attended by 7000 people in a “COVID-safe environment” (Australian Musician website) one week earlier at Glenelg Beach, Adelaide.

As well as “showcasing the best of home-grown Australian artists” the organisers promoted the concert as providing “cultural attractions, in a family friendly environment, placing a very heavy emphasis on local community and sustainability”.

First published in the Mornington News – 9 March 2021

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Railway station scam

July 1, 2025

Flinders result unaffected by poll blunder – AEC

July 1, 2025

Grand Hotel’s tower revamp signals new chapter for icon

June 26, 2025

McCrae telco tower refused over visual impact

June 26, 2025
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Peninsula Essence Magazine – Click to Read
Peninsula Kids Magazine – Click to Read
Letters to the Editor
Property of the Week

14 Bass Street, McCrae

June 3, 2025
Council Watch

Shire secures $3.9m to tackle road safety

June 16, 2025

Kinder flyer flag snub prompts councillors to take over

June 10, 2025
100 Years Ago This Week

Baxter – On The ‘Wallaby’ with a walking group

July 1, 2025
Interview

Firefighter shows skills from sea to snow

February 5, 2024
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Home New
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook X (Twitter)
© 2025 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.