The situation surrounding this year’s Maitreya Festival has basically been a car crash in slow motion. Just when you thought the saga had reached its end, something else would happen to add to the multi-car pileup that was unfolding.
Of course, the saga never quite reached its end for all the ticket-holders who still haven’t received refunds after the popular Aussie bush doof’s ill-fated 2016 event was cancelled amid a swarm of controversy and criticism.
And now it looks as though those refunds will never make it to the accounts of ticket-holders who should rightfully be receiving their money back – organisers have taken to Facebook to insist they are “unable to make any more refunds”.
Whilst posts made to the official Maitreya Festival Facebook page indicated some fans did get their money back, there are still a good number of unhappy punters who have not received refunds and now have all the more reason to be upset.
“Dearest fans and foes alike.. this years ’10th Anniversary Nontreya Festival’ has sadly passed, and now we must look to future, but we are also reminded that, if you want to know tomorrow, look at today, because its yesterdays tomorrow,” organisers wrote.
“We can’t in any number of words express to you the ins and outs of the rabbit hole that the event ended in this year. We are very sorry to those who were negatively impacted by the finality, from the patrons, to market stall holders, performers, artists, and the local community of Charlton.”
“There were no winners out of this, and hopefully from this realisation we can move on. Unfortunately we are unable to make any more refunds for tickets purchased for the 2016 event.”
Instead, organisers are offering Maitreya 2016 ticket-holders access to an exclusive event over the Grand Final long weekend, which organisers claim will be held at Lake Wooroonook, the original site of Maitreya 2016.
“We hope this event can go to re building trust within the Maitreya community, and assist the community of Wooroonook and Charlton with extra incomes that they so desperately need,” organisers continued.
“Unfortunately we are unable to make any more refunds for tickets purchased for the 2016 event.”“We can’t turn back time and give you back what might have been, but we do hold a deep belief that everything happens for a reason, even if that reason is really hard to understand or uncover in the short term.”
“If we can collectively walk forward with this knowledge, together we can take the time to unravel the lessons that it has for us all, and for this be better individuals in the communities we live.”
Unfortunately, punters aren’t interesting in collectively walking forward with organisers, nor have they been inspired “creatively and emotionally” by their most recent missive. On the contrary, they are mighty pissed.
“How zen of you or is this a ’emotionally creative’ way of saying I’ve got your money so bad luck. Stop taking Mumbo Jumbo and pay refunds,” one upset punter commented, echoing the sentiments of many who’ve been left out of pocket.
“Get off the fucking drugs. Start realising the magnitude of responsibility that event organisers have towards their patrons, artists, contributors and the community. Start living up to these. Start respecting the authorities who have put in a lot of effort in helping facilitate ur event,” wrote another.
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“Should the event not proceed, punters are entitled to a refund. The odds of whether they get it or not, I don’t know,” Darren Sanicki of GI & Sanicki Lawyers previously told Tone Deaf.
“I’m unsure as to the organisers’ situation in regards to where the money is… but if any punters are out of pocket, they’ll no doubt go after them.”
“You’ll have to sue them, you can report them to consumer affairs, you can take them to VCAT or the Magistrate’s Court, and probably one lawyer will put their hand up and represent all those who lost money in one hit.”
“But unless these guys have got the money you’re unlikely to get it. This is more so the case if they don’t have insurance in place.”
