Latest news with #SplendourintheGrass
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Perth Now
‘Grave concerns' in strip search case
A judge presiding over the case of a woman suing the state of NSW over a strip search at a popular music festival has told the court she has 'grave concerns' about the conduct of the defence, who admitted after two years the search was unlawful. Raya Meredith was made to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches from 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC argued in her closing statements Tuesday and Wednesday that there was a failure on the part of 'senior echelons' of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. The state of NSW is being sued over a strip search of a woman. NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone Credit: News Corp Australia Julian Sexton SC, who is representing the state of NSW, pushed back on claims by Ms Nomchong about police training and the findings of a report by the Lessons Learned Unit (LLU) following a complaint after a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty. Mr Sexton said the report, contrary to submissions by Ms Nomchong, did not represent an 'admission of widespread unlawful use of strip searches' or routine unlawful strip searches and instead only made 'recommendations about best practice'. He went on to tell the court that out of 172,000 searches in 2016, 3850 were strip searches. Resulting from those searches were only 79 complaints, four of which were sustained, with a further two sustained complaints the following year. 'This demonstrates that there was a decreasing number of complaints sustained. There were only five complaints sustained in the period up until November 2018. That doesn't indicate a widespread use of unlawful searches,' Mr Saxton said. He made similar claims about the 'very small number' of civil cases. Justice Dina Yehia said the defence case and state of NSW's admission that Ms Meredith's strip search was illegal were of 'grave concern' during Thursday's hearing. Justice Yehia told Mr Saxton before the lunch adjournment that 'the conduct of the proceedings in relation to the three iterations of defence that were initially relied upon, that is a matter, I'll be quite honest with you, of grave concern to me. 'All I have is three officers' statements that say either that they don't remember the search at all or both that they don't remember the search nor remember the plaintiff, the lead plaintiff in those circumstances,' she said, referring to Ms Meredith. The closing statements are now in their third day. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia 'I'm just not sure how this could ever have proceeded in the way that it did with the initial pleadings.' Mr Saxton said the admission about the legality of the search was 'more accurate to say it was an admission based on the absence of proof' and police may have based their recollections on 'practice' rather than specific memory. In response, Justice Yehia said: 'An assertion that the officer's assessment of the plaintiff's demeanour, physical appearance, body language and answers to questions while they spoke outside the tent is very specific.' Under NSW law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers'. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time.
West Australian
15-05-2025
- West Australian
Judge's ‘grave concerns' in NSW strip search class action case
A judge presiding over the case of a woman suing the state of NSW over a strip search at a popular music festival has told the court she has 'grave concerns' about the conduct of the defence, who admitted after two years the search was unlawful. Raya Meredith was made to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches from 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC argued in her closing statements Tuesday and Wednesday that there was a failure on the part of 'senior echelons' of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. Julian Sexton SC, who is representing the state of NSW, pushed back on claims by Ms Nomchong about police training and the findings of a report by the Lessons Learned Unit (LLU) following a complaint after a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty. Mr Sexton said the report, contrary to submissions by Ms Nomchong, did not represent an 'admission of widespread unlawful use of strip searches' or routine unlawful strip searches and instead only made 'recommendations about best practice'. He went on to tell the court that out of 172,000 searches in 2016, 3850 were strip searches. Resulting from those searches were only 79 complaints, four of which were sustained, with a further two sustained complaints the following year. 'This demonstrates that there was a decreasing number of complaints sustained. There were only five complaints sustained in the period up until November 2018. That doesn't indicate a widespread use of unlawful searches,' Mr Saxton said. He made similar claims about the 'very small number' of civil cases. Justice Dina Yehia said the defence case and state of NSW's admission that Ms Meredith's strip search was illegal were of 'grave concern' during Thursday's hearing. Justice Yehia told Mr Saxton before the lunch adjournment that 'the conduct of the proceedings in relation to the three iterations of defence that were initially relied upon, that is a matter, I'll be quite honest with you, of grave concern to me. 'All I have is three officers' statements that say either that they don't remember the search at all or both that they don't remember the search nor remember the plaintiff, the lead plaintiff in those circumstances,' she said, referring to Ms Meredith. 'I'm just not sure how this could ever have proceeded in the way that it did with the initial pleadings.' Mr Saxton said the admission about the legality of the search was 'more accurate to say it was an admission based on the absence of proof' and police may have based their recollections on 'practice' rather than specific memory. In response, Justice Yehia said: 'An assertion that the officer's assessment of the plaintiff's demeanour, physical appearance, body language and answers to questions while they spoke outside the tent is very specific.' Under NSW law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers'. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time.
West Australian
14-05-2025
- West Australian
‘Senior echelons' of NSW Police's failure before woman's ‘humiliating' strip search: court
The 'senior echelons' of the NSW Police Force failed to properly train and supervise police officers before a woman's 'humiliating' strip search at a popular music festival that prompted a landmark class action lawsuit, a court has been told. Raya Meredith was forced to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches between 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC, has argued in her closing statements, which continued on Wednesday, that there was an 'abject failure' on the part of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. Under the law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time. The state of NSW has maintained searching Ms Meredith's breast and genital area were 'objectively reasonably necessary', a claim Ms Nomchong described as 'outrageous' and claimed there was no 'no basis for the strip search in the first place'. She told Judge Dina Yehia that she would have to make factual findings in relation to Ms Meredith's pleadings in the case but admitted damages might be mitigated by changes since made by police – changes she said were available at the time, too. The state of NSW for 2½ years denied the search was unlawful. In her evidence, recited by Ms Nomchong on Tuesday, Ms Meredith said she remembered 'wanting to scream at her (the officer). I remember feeling disgusted that another woman was putting me through this. I was nauseated by this point. I felt like vomiting.' Ms Nomchong is seeking $5000 in damages for the 'pat down' as well as aggravated damages because of the 'colossal magnitude' of the contraventions made during the search, which was not lawful and 'breached nearly every safeguard'. She also alleged lawyers representing the state of NSW had issued a subpoena to Services Australia for Ms Meredith's entire medical history despite there not being a claim for personal injury damages, 'having the effect of intimidating the plaintiff'. 'The plaintiff's evidence was if 'I could have walked out of this case then and there I would have',' Ms Nomchong said. Much of Tuesday's hearing centred on what training was given to police, including at the police academy, in regard to the carrying out of strip searches as well as what Ms Nomchong claimed could have been done to avoid the contraventions. She told the court that plans had been drawn up in response to a complaint made following a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty and an investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission as well as a sticker systems officers could have deployed.
Perth Now
14-05-2025
- Perth Now
Senior cops' ‘failure' before horror strip search
The 'senior echelons' of the NSW Police Force failed to properly train and supervise police officers before a woman's 'humiliating' strip search at a popular music festival that prompted a landmark class action lawsuit, a court has been told. Raya Meredith was forced to undress in front of a police officer, lift her breasts, and remove her tampon during a 'humiliating' and terrifying strip search at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018 that police later admitted was illegal. The then-27-year-old is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit brought by Slater and Gordon and the Redfern Legal Centre against the state of NSW on behalf of more than 3000 people likely subjected to illegal strip searches between 2016-2022. Ms Meredith's lawyer, Kylie Nomchong SC, has argued in her closing statements, which continued on Wednesday, that there was an 'abject failure' on the part of NSW Police to ensure proper training and supervision given to police doing searches. The state of NSW is being sued over a woman's strip search at a festival in 2018. NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia Under the law, strip searches – which are recognised as being 'highly invasive and humiliating' – are supposed to be undertaken within specific statutory guidelines, including preconditions of 'seriousness and urgency' that they be done. Ms Nomchong told the court on Tuesday that not a single COPS event log contained why a strip search was necessary, and the general duties officers were 'defective in their understanding of the basis on which strip searches could be carried out'. 'They were not supervised. They were not trained. And, as a direct result, that is why my plaintiff was unlawfully strip searched … along with others who attended the music festival in 2018,' Ms Nomchong said in her more than six-hour statement. Resuming on Wednesday, Ms Nomchong urged the court to award exemplary damages 'not only to express the court's disapprobation but because of the manifest breaches of the (Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act) by searching officers. Ms Nomchong went on to add 'but also because of the … manifest failures on the part of the senior echelons of the NSW Police Force responsible for both general and focus training for conducting strip searches' in the state at the time. The state of NSW has maintained searching Ms Meredith's breast and genital area were 'objectively reasonably necessary', a claim Ms Nomchong described as 'outrageous' and claimed there was no 'no basis for the strip search in the first place'. At least 143 people were strip searched at the festival that year. NewsWire / Simon Bullard. Credit: News Corp Australia She told Judge Dina Yehia that she would have to make factual findings in relation to Ms Meredith's pleadings in the case but admitted damages might be mitigated by changes since made by police – changes she said were available at the time, too. The state of NSW for 2½ years denied the search was unlawful. In her evidence, recited by Ms Nomchong on Tuesday, Ms Meredith said she remembered 'wanting to scream at her (the officer). I remember feeling disgusted that another woman was putting me through this. I was nauseated by this point. I felt like vomiting.' Ms Nomchong is seeking $5000 in damages for the 'pat down' as well as aggravated damages because of the 'colossal magnitude' of the contraventions made during the search, which was not lawful and 'breached nearly every safeguard'. She also alleged lawyers representing the state of NSW had issued a subpoena to Services Australia for Ms Meredith's entire medical history despite there not being a claim for personal injury damages, 'having the effect of intimidating the plaintiff'. 'The plaintiff's evidence was if 'I could have walked out of this case then and there I would have',' Ms Nomchong said. Much of Tuesday's hearing centred on what training was given to police, including at the police academy, in regard to the carrying out of strip searches as well as what Ms Nomchong claimed could have been done to avoid the contraventions. She told the court that plans had been drawn up in response to a complaint made following a 2013 Mardi Gras afterparty and an investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission as well as a sticker systems officers could have deployed.
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kendrick Lamar and Doechii to headline Australia's Spilt Milk festival
Kendrick Lamar and Doechii – one of rap's biggest names and arguably its fastest-rising star – are coming to Australia in December, as the headliners at the 2025 music festival Spilt Milk. The two US acts will headline Spilt Milk at Ballarat, Canberra/Kamberri, the Gold Coast and Perth/Boorloo, alongside US techno DJ Sara Landry. The festival has a rap-heavy lineup, with singer-songwriter and Euphoria star Dominic Fike and ScHoolboy Q also performing. Australian acts on the lineup include the Rions and South Summit. The booking of Kendrick Lamar and Doechii marks a strong comeback for the festival, which was cancelled last year ahead of its lin-up announcement. At the time, organisers issued a statement on Instagram: 'Sorry pookies, we couldn't get you the Spilt Milk you deserved this year.' Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Spilt Milk was among a wave of beleaguered live musical festivals that cancelled their 2024 events, including Splendour in the Grass, the Falls festival and Harvest Rock – all owned by Live Nation – as well as regional festival Groovin the Moo, which cancelled all six dates because of insufficient ticket sales. When Live Nation announced in January that Splendour would not go ahead for a second year in a row, it declined to confirm whether its other festivals would go ahead this year. Spilt Milk's 2025 announcement didn't provide any explanations for the 2024 cancellation, instead highlighting the success of its 2023 festival, headlined by international heavyweights Dom Dolla and Post Malone. Both artists folded their Spilt Milk dates into solo Australian tours, and it remains to be seen whether Kendrick and Doechii – both last here in 2022 – will similarly announce solo dates in capital cities. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Spilt Milk tickets go on sale on 9 May, with a pre-sales from 8 May.
