CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
As the politicians and music industry continue to rack their brains as to why Splendour In The Grass 2024 was cancelled after 20 years of roaring popularity, Young Australians tried their very best to have fun over the weekend.
With a cost-of-living crisis and ailing economy converging into a pandemic hangover, the kids really can’t be able to afford leaving the house for more than 3 or so hours to attend a Taylor Swift or Fred Again concert – let alone spend hundreds of dollars in fuel and packing up for a 3 day weekend away in some extortionate coastal town.
And with an average of 1 in 4 shopfronts remaining vacant in the nation’s once busy main streets, the youth are squabbling over the few part-time retail and hospo jobs that are available.
However, just because the majority of family owned restaurants and retail shops have been evicted because commercial property investors refuse to risk their land being devalued by a lower rental yield, it doesn’t mean the pubs are closed.
With the supplementary income of pokie machines draining the disposable income of pensioners and depressed young parents, the pubs are doing fine.
In fact, some are doing so well that they don’t occasionally distracting the gamblers with a live band, or a DJ.
Local school-leaver Hamish Carnegie was one of the many optimistic young people who hit the tiles in Betoota over the weekend.
With vape smoke clouding the dancefloor, and youthful music blaring, Big Hame finally got a taste of all those stories he used to hear from his parents and older cousins about ‘going out’.
“Haha how good” he said to one of his mates, who was also itching to turn 18 and see what Betoota’s nightlife had on offer.
“Have you finished your drink!? I’ll go get another and meet you back on the dancefloor. How goods this!”
However, this youthful joy was shortlived, as Hamish made his way to the bar and realised that they charge 19 dollars per pint after 9pm, as the venue passes on every single government tax hike to their patrons.
“That’s like an hours pay at the pizza shop” says Hamish, with a defeated sigh.
“and I’ve gotta buy two of them, because I’m in a shout”
Hamish solemnly stares back at local band currently working the dancefloor.
It’s fun, but not fun enough to blow all of next week’s petrol money on a couple rounds.
“I think we might get out of here soon” he says.
“We can go buy a point of ice for that price and smoke it in the park. That’ll last us all night”
