John Farnham’s September tribute concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena has reignited concerns over dynamic ticket pricing after premium seats surged to as much as $1,650 during today’s on-sale, despite the event being backed by the Victorian Government and raising funds for Head and Neck Cancer Australia.
by Paul Cashmere
Tickets for the Songs Of John Farnham concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on 20 September soared dramatically during today’s public on-sale, with some premium seats reaching $1,650 and many others sitting around the $1,000 mark by mid-afternoon. Even tickets with heavily restricted or behind-the-stage views were being offered at approximately $400, prompting renewed scrutiny of dynamic pricing practices at a government-supported charity event.
The controversy extends beyond the concert itself. Songs Of John Farnham is being promoted as both a celebration of one of Australia’s most beloved artists and a fundraiser for Head and Neck Cancer Australia, the organisation established following Farnham’s own battle with cancer. The event also carries Victorian Government backing, raising questions about whether additional consumer protections should have been in place for ticket buyers.
For many fans, particularly older Australians who have followed Farnham’s career for decades, the experience highlighted a growing disconnect between traditional ticket purchasing expectations and modern algorithm-driven pricing systems. Buyers entering online queues often had little indication of the final price they would face until reaching the purchase stage, by which time available inventory had already shifted into higher-priced categories.
Dynamic pricing, sometimes referred to as surge pricing or in-demand pricing, allows ticket prices to fluctuate in real time according to demand, sales velocity and ticket availability. Rather than maintaining a fixed face value, pricing algorithms automatically increase the cost of remaining tickets when demand exceeds expectations.
Ticketing companies and promoters argue that the model addresses a longstanding problem within the live music industry. Historically, high-demand events often sold out instantly, only for tickets to reappear on secondary resale sites at significantly inflated prices. Dynamic pricing is designed to capture that additional value within the primary market, directing revenue to artists, promoters and event organisers rather than scalpers.
However, critics argue that the distinction means little to consumers who ultimately pay the higher price.
The concern is particularly acute when consumers do not know what the final ticket cost will be until after waiting in a lengthy virtual queue. Fans can enter a queue expecting one price and emerge to find tickets have doubled, tripled or, in some cases, increased several times over their original advertised value.
Australia has already experienced several high-profile examples. During Green Day’s 2025 Australian tour, tickets initially available from around $217 reportedly rose to almost $500 through dynamic pricing mechanisms. Lady Gaga’s Australian tour generated even greater backlash when lower-tier seating reportedly increased from around $113 to more than $600 within minutes of sales opening, while premium tickets exceeded $1,500. By contrast, Oasis elected not to use dynamic pricing for its Australian dates after controversy surrounding the practice in the United Kingdom.
The Songs Of John Farnham event now joins that growing list.
The issue also arrives at a time when governments around the world are examining ticketing transparency. Australian authorities have already proposed reforms aimed at improving disclosure around fees and pricing practices. Regulators in Europe and the United Kingdom have similarly investigated whether consumers are receiving adequate information before entering high-pressure purchasing environments.
The Victorian Government’s involvement in the Farnham event creates an additional layer of scrutiny. While dynamic pricing is ultimately a commercial decision agreed upon by promoters, artists and management, critics argue that a government-backed charity event should include safeguards designed to protect consumers from extreme price escalation.
Supporters of dynamic pricing point out that the model is not universally disadvantageous to consumers. In lower-demand situations, prices can fall as promoters seek to fill unsold inventory. Similar systems are widely used throughout aviation, hospitality and rideshare services, where customers often benefit from lower prices during off-peak periods.
Yet those consumer benefits rarely materialise during the initial sale period for a major concert featuring a national icon such as John Farnham. In those circumstances, demand overwhelmingly pushes prices upward.
The broader debate is unlikely to disappear. As ticketing technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, governments, promoters and consumers continue to wrestle with where the balance should sit between market economics and accessibility. For many Farnham fans who logged on today hoping to secure a seat for a charity concert, the experience served as another reminder that the cost of attending live music is becoming less predictable than ever.
The Songs of John Farnham
20 September, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=JFARHON26
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