Gladys Berejiklian Gets Her Wish: Defqon. 1 Australia Has Been “Postponed Indefinitely”
"Warriors, it is with great sadness to inform you that Defqon.1 Festival will not return to Australia this year. "
Defqon. 1 festival has announced via Facebook that its Australian leg — held in NSW — has been “postponed indefinitely”, following calls from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that the festival be cancelled following two drug-related deaths at the event last year.
The festival explains that its previous venue, the Sydney International Regatta Centre, has withdrawn its support, and that they were unable to find a “suitable replacement venue” for the event’s September date.
The festival thanked punters for the “incredibly memories we created for the past 10 years”, and said that while they continued to look for viable alternative spaces, they “remain uncertain if and when we return”.
The day following two overdoses at last year’s Defqon, Berejiklian gave a press conference in which she said she promised that the NSW Government would do “everything we can to shut this [festival] down” to ensure no more lives would be lost.
“I never want to see this event held in Sydney or NSW ever again,” she said specifically of Defqon.1.
In months to follow, multiple festivals around NSW were charged substantially hiked police fees as the government introduced regulation laws which festival organisers called “draconian”.
Since Defqon.1, multiple NSW music festivals have been cancelled last-minute, including Mountain Sounds, Psyfari and Bohemian Beatfreaks. All organisers cite exuberant fees and regulations, prompting a coalition of festivals to take the NSW government to court.
While medical officials and music and festival organisations point towards the ACT’s two successful pill-testing trials instead of festival-ending regulations, Berejiklian remains resistant to entertain harm minimisation as a way to combat deaths. There have been five overdoses at NSW music festivals between last September and January.
Read Defqon.1’s full Facebook post below.
Defqon.1 Australia’s Facebook post
“Defqon.1 Australia postponed indefinitely”
Warriors, it is with great sadness to inform you that Defqon.1 Festival will not return to Australia this year.
Unfortunately the Sydney International Regatta Centre and its affiliates have withdrawn their support for the event. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to secure a suitable replacement venue for the event to take place this September.
To our fans, Ambassadors, and everyone else that has contributed to the incredible memories we created for the past 10 years: from the depths of our orange heart we would like to thank all of you for your ongoing support, dedication, and for creating the most epic family imaginable.
While we continue to look for a suitable alternative location that meets our quality standards, we remain uncertain if and when we return.
During this time, we welcome you to explore our events or hostings in of any of the 15 countries we are active in this year.
Forever one tribe,
Q-dance