Have your say: Ticket reselling in Australia

A NATIONWIDE consultation process to combat ticket scalping and protect Australian concert-goers and live sport lovers has been announced today by Small Business Minister Michael McCormack.

Mr McCormack released the Ticket Reselling in Australia Consultation Paper and is calling for submissions from consumers, ticket sellers and resellers, performing artists, venues and promoters.

"Australians are frustrated with the ticket resale industry," Mr McCormack said.

"Consumers should be able to access all available tickets and purchase those tickets at a reasonable price without being ripped-off by astronomical mark-ups applied by scalpers and resellers."

The consultation paper welcomes advice on a range of options including an outright ban on the practice through to restricted reselling rules and improving information disclosure. The paper also canvasses a nationwide ban on ticket-buying bots and the continued development of a consumer focused education campaign.

"We want consumers and businesses to share their stories and experiences with ticket reselling so we can deliver better protection for Australian consumers," Mr McCormack said.

"For example, sometimes consumers do not realise they are purchasing from resale sites and find out they have paid more only when the ticket arrives – this is really unfair. I encourage all interested parties to make a submission."

The release of the consultation paper is part of an extensive consumer protection agenda that was agreed by Consumers Affairs Ministers in August this year with the Commonwealth leading the way on this issue.

Stakeholders are invited to comment on the consultation paper by lodging a submission online via the Treasury's consultation hub.

Submissions close on Friday, 15 December 2017.