The federal government has pledged to take action against dynamic pricing, drip pricing, and hidden fees after Lady Gaga fans were left stunned by rapidly inflating ticket prices for her upcoming concerts in Sydney and Melbourne.
“There should be no hidden costs that suddenly appear at the end of a transaction, and the government is taking action on this,” said Arts Minister Tony Burke.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had already committed to banning these practices in a statement made in October 2024.
Ticket Prices Skyrocket Within Minutes
On Thursday, thousands of fans queued online via Ticketmaster (Melbourne) and Ticketek (Sydney), hoping to purchase tickets ranging from $113.06 to more than $1,500. Within just 15 minutes, even the cheapest “nosebleed” seats had surged to $622, prompting outrage across social media and news outlets.
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Live Nation later announced that a second Sydney concert would go on sale on 22 April due to overwhelming demand.
Ticketing Companies Deny Dynamic Pricing Allegations
Both Ticketmaster and Ticketek have denied the use of dynamic or surge pricing.
“Ticketmaster does not have surge pricing or dynamic algorithms to adjust ticket prices. Tickets were priced in advance and set at the individual seat level,” said a Ticketmaster spokesperson.
Ticketek similarly told The Guardian that their pre-sale tickets were not dynamically priced. However, neither company disclosed how many seats were allocated at the lowest advertised price point of $113.
Consumer Protections in Development
Before entering caretaker mode, the Labor government had initiated a consultation process to address unfair trading practices, such as:
- Dynamic pricing
- Subscription traps
- Drip pricing (where fees are added throughout the checkout process)
Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones emphasized the government’s intent:
“There won’t be a consumer in the country who hasn’t had an experience with the unfair trading practices that we are planning to ban.”
Parliamentary Inquiry Recommends Stronger Oversight
A recent parliamentary inquiry into the live music industry recommended changes to Australian Consumer Law, including:
- Greater transparency in ticket pricing
- Restrictions on dynamic pricing
- Monitoring by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for anti-competitive behavior
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, a member of the inquiry, said:
“In a cost-of-living crisis, it is outrageous to see big multinational companies ripping off live music fans and artists.”
The ACCC declined to comment on whether it had been asked to investigate, but acknowledged it was monitoring the US Department of Justice’s anti-trust lawsuit against Live Nation.
Experts Highlight Consumer Anxiety and Enforcement Challenges
Professor Nitika Garg from the University of New South Wales said banning dynamic pricing would allow the ACCC to examine confidential data and pricing algorithms.
“From a consumer perspective, dynamic pricing just adds another layer of anxiety. Not only are they worried they won’t get seats, they don’t know how much they’ll be paying by the time they get there.”
She added that real-time seat comparisons would be necessary to confirm dynamic pricing activity.
A Call for Fairer Ticketing in the Arts
As outrage continues to grow over pricing practices for major live events, pressure is mounting on the government to deliver reforms that will protect fans, artists, and smaller venues from being edged out by powerful multinational players.
If Labor’s proposed laws are passed, Australia could become a global leader in regulating the ethics of digital ticketing—ensuring that future concerts are more accessible and more transparent.
