Promoters win A$2.84m payout for axed Robbie Williams concert

Promoters behind a cancelled Robbie Williams concert have won A$2.84m (£1.45m/€1.74m/$1.9m) after a judge ruled they received misleading advice. 

According to the Australian Associated Press, organisers of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix must pay the fee after the event was cancelled just before the gates were due to open on March 13, 2020, because of the threat of COVID-19.

Williams was due to perform at Lakeside Stadium as part of the four-day festival, but the concert was also cancelled and ticket-holders received a refund. World Touring Melbourne sued the Australian Grand Prix Corporation – which organises the Australian GP – as it believed the concert was axed because the company provided misleading information over government health advice.

The case went to trial earlier this year with Victorian Supreme Court Justice Clyde Croft giving his judgement last week.

Event organisers had reportedly deceived the promoters by claiming the state of Victoria’s then health officer Brett Sutton had directed the concert to not go ahead.

Grand Prix organisers emailed World Touring Melbourne on March 13 at 16:25 local time to say that Dr Sutton said the event, along with other activities, should be cancelled or run patron-free. In reality, Dr Sutton had texted Australian GP officials at 14:50 to say that while he supported the decision to cancel the British singer’s concert, in the end, the decision was up to the organisers.

Justice Croft said in his judgement: “What is clear is that no such advice had been given by the chief health officer.”

He also noted that non-essential mass gatherings were not restricted until March 16.

The judge ordered the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to pay A$2.84m in damages to World Touring Melbourne for loss of earnings.