ORGANISERS of the Maitreya Music and Arts Festival have broken their silence, telling fans and ticket-holders over social media they have been working tirelessly to meet Buloke Shire Council’s requests.
In a statement delivered through the Maitreya Festival Facebook page on Friday morning, organisers said they had been working “day and night, in confidence and good faith, trying our absolute best to meet all of the requests, and be part of all negotiations to meet the council’s requirements”.
The message came days after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) upheld Buloke Shire Council’s decision to deny festival promoter Lachlan Bell a planning permit for the use of Wooroonook Lakes to stage the festival.
In denying the planning permit application, the shire reasoned Mr Bell failed to provide insurance documentation and, among other things, a cultural heritage management plan.
Festival organisers addressed the issue of Wooroonook Lakes’ cultural heritage in their Facebook status, saying the management plan was the only outstanding document they needed to obtain — although this has been disputed.
Nevertheless, they were confident of being able to respect the cultural sensitivies of the site location.
“We have been working for two years with Uncle Rick Nelson, a recognised Dja Dja elder of the area, on indigenous sensitivity and inclusion, and our program this year is more substantial than ever, and seeks to forge a stronger relationship with the traditional owners of Lake Wooroonook,” the status read.
For more on this story pick up Monday’s Guardian (March 7, 2016).
