Following an application by Mothership Music, the promoters behind Fat As Butter, to create camping facilities for the festival, a resident near the proposed site has been rallying residents against the proposal claiming that the quiet town where the proposed site would be built will be over-run with drunken campers.
Stockton’s Alan McMaster is concerned there will not be enough police and security guards on hand to cope with anti-social behaviour, despite assurances by Mothership Music and the council that five to 10 police officers and 10 to 20 security officers will be posted at the campsite while it is operational.
“We’ve seen what’s happened with alcohol over in the centre of Newcastle and I’m extremely worried that some of those issues are going to be transported over to Stockton” McMaster told the ABC, “which basically of an evening there’s no police in the town we’re a very isolated community.”
According to documents submitted to the council, the camping site would be 18+, include fenced, licensed areas, a fun fair, a spit roast buffet and entertainment. In addition, Mothership Music are proposing dedicated free ferry services that will take campers to and from the festival which is due to run across three days.
McMaster and other residents are also miffed by that the council is already talking as a decision on the proposal has already been made, despite the pretence of ongoing community consultation. McMaster says he did a letterbox drop himself to inform other residents about the consultation meeting after the council declined saying they didn’t have the funds.
He also adds that a council brochure about the event raises concerns. “On it it’s got written, ‘This year camping for up to 1,500 people will be available from the 18th to the 20th of October at the Ballast Grounds on Stockton Foreshore’,” he said. “That sounds like the decision has already been made without proper community consultation, in my opinion.”
The expansion plans come amidst a nasty legal tussle with Flo Rida, real name Tramar Dillard, was ordered by a NSW court to pay financial reimbursement to the organisers of the music festival for not fulfilling his scheduled appearance in 2011, pulling out just two hours before he was due on stage, angering many of the 11,000-strong crowd – who’d payed upwards of $110 a ticket – with presenters fluffing, “Flo Rida has slept in and will not be able to make the concert.”
The rapper hadn’t actually partied too hard, but instead had reportedly chucked a “hissy fit”, according to promoters, after issues with accommodation. Promoters Mothership Music tried everything they could to transport the headliner from Sydney to the Newcastle event, apologising profusely over social media to the many disgruntled punters. Following the US star’s no-show, Mothership Music attempted to sue Flo Rida and his management, VIP Entertainment and Concepts, who attempted to dodge lawyers until they were eventually served with papers over Facebook.
Last September, Flo Rida and his management appealed against the $380,400 in damages and $37,745 in legal fees ordered to be paid to Mothership Music, but in the Court Of Appeal last week Flo Rida is now claiming that the Australian court has no power over him. The case continues.
