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An end has been brought to a tragedy. Having run venues for 20 years and seen what can happen when a crowd goes for it, it is remarkable that so few injuries have occured in Australia. It is a tribute to security staff, concert goers and management of gig
BIG DAY OUT STATEMENT
"Big Day Out producers Vivian Lees and Ken West and staff were devastated by the tragic death of Jessica Michalik at the 2001 show. It is greatly regretted that beautiful Jessica died while attending the show and producers extend their deepest sympathies to the Michalik family and Jessica's friends for her death. What makes the loss harder to bear is that she was the ideal audience member who encapsulated all the youthful spirit , vitality, a love for music and was at the event with friends behaving well.
"Following the tragedy substantial changes were introduced for the subsequent 2002 Big Day Out show. The changes which were introduced with the integrated 12 Point Safety Plan combined revisions to barrier structures, age restrictions and music policy among others and importantly focused on introducing the notion of changing audience behaviour and increasing audience awareness of the danger caused by mosh dancing , crowd surfing and other antisocial crowd behaviour. As Big Day Out fans will know a secondary D barrier was introduced for the 2002 event. This worked very well and will be used in 2003These changes resulted in a 2002 Big Day Out reporting no serious injuries and significantly less "presentations" to casualty posts for minor injuries.
"At the end of the evidence the Coroner commended the Big Day Out on the work done and of the success of the 12 Point Safety Plan in making the Big Day Out safer. The Police also commended the Big Day Out for the changes to the event introduced in this plan.
"Throughout the Inquest the Coroner made it clear that the purpose of the Inquest was to examine how Jessica was fatally injured and not to prevent music festivals from taking place in the future. In the Post 2002 Field Report from the Melbourne Big Day Out, WorkSafe commended Creative Entertainment and the Big Day Out for their "high standard" and "progress" in "addressing health and safety issues". The Big Day Out Occupational Health and Safety Manual is now regarded as the benchmark guide for safe crowd management at events of this type in Australia.
"Big Day Out promoters have always set a high standard for audience safety and have never compromised on cost when audience safety is concerned and promoters emphasise the organisational commitment to show and audience safety is paramount and will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
"Creative Entertainment co-operated fully at all times with the Coronial investigation and Inquest. We have had an opportunity to present our case fully and believe that the facts put before the court indicate that we acted reasonably under very difficult circumstances. Although the finding is not an exoneration of all actions of Big Day Out promoters and staff, we acknowledge that we must accept the decision of the Coroner in this matter. We endorse the need for a national event safety code to be developed and applied to all large scale events in the future making them safer for audience members. This should be the legacy of Jessica Michalik."
LIMP BIZKIT'S STATEMENT
"The manager of Limp Bizkit Mr Peter Katsis today welcomed the Coroners finding that responsibility for the security and safety of a concert crowd lies solely with the event promoter. Mr Katsis said, "The band's repeated requests for secondary barricades before BDO 2001 has been vindicated by the coroner's conclusions."
"The band welcomes the coroner's finding that it is an unreal notion to expect an entertainer in Fred Durst's position to monitor the mood and behaviour of a crowd. We are certain the whole music industry would agree that the entertainer is there to entertain and if he has to be concerned with crowd safety he cannot give 100%. We endorse the finding that the crowd density was at excessive levels at BDO 2001 and that it was the paramount obligation of the promoter to undertake a risk assessment directed at crowd safety. We note the coroners findings that BDO's pre event safety document did not have one scintilla of risk assessment within its pages."
"Fred Durst said "No one is a winner in a court case where a young girl has lost her life. This has been a terrible tragedy. Now the authorities are getting it straight, I look forward to Limp Bizkit coming back to Australia."
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