More Groovin The Moo punters have slammed the conduct of security guards and even medics working the Canberra leg of the regional touring festival, claiming security workers stood and laughed as a female punter passed out in front of them.
GTM Canberra attendee Jamie Guy told The Canberra Times she witnessed some young girls struggling to carry their friend who’d collapsed as at least 10 security guards and medics stood around “having a laugh and a banter” as the girls passed them.
A male bystander was forced to help the friends carry the girl to the tent. “We were in shock that none of the medics or security guards were helping her – they just stood and watched,” Ms Guy told the Times.
“Knowing that they are meant to help people and keep them safe, and seeing that, was like, ‘Are you really carrying out your duty of care? Would you look after me if that was me’? I have never seen anything like that.”
According to Ms Guy, medics only stepped in once the girl had reached the first-aid tent. Meanwhile, fellow GTM Canberra punter Dayle Russell told the Times he witnessed a similar alleged incident during a mosh pit.
Ms Russell saw a girl fall to the ground unconscious during a performance before waking crying and screaming for her friends. “Everyone was trampling on her, so my friends gathered around and made a circle to let security guards through,” she said.
“They just stood and stared at her and then turned around and walked away.” When Ms Russell asked one of the security guards if they could assist in taking the girl to the first-aid tent, he reportedly responded that it “wasn’t his problem”.
“She could not function, she needed help, and they just left,” she said. “Even if it’s not their responsibility, everyone else around was too drunk to know she even needed help, and they didn’t do anything about it.”
“I would hate to have known what happened to all of these people who needed help. It really concerned me and my friends.” It’s not the first time the security at GTM Canberra have been criticised in recent weeks.
As Tone Deaf reported, Joana Perkins slammed members the ISEC security company after she was allegedly urinated on by a male punter as she attended the festival with her 15-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter.
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Ms Perkins claimed that when she asked security guards why the male punter hadn’t been thrown out, “one of the security guards looked at me extremely aggressively and said ‘if you don’t shut up you’ll be chucked out’”.
“We acknowledge several media reports with regards to the welfare of patrons and conduct of security and emergency service providers at both GTM Maitland and Canberra,” GTM organisers later wrote in a statement.
“Groovin the Moo believes all actions taken by service providers were delivered in the best interest of GTM patrons.” Groovin The Moo wrapped up over the weekend with events in Bendigo and Townsville.
