Pubdate: Wed, 26 Dec 2007
Source: Sunshine Coast Daily (Australia)
Copyright: 2007 APN News & Media Ltd
Contact:  http://www.thedaily.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4590

LOCALS WANT MORNINGTON RAVE PARTY HALTED

Plans by the organisers of this month's controversial  rave party at
Kryal Castle to stage an even bigger one  at Mornington Racecourse has
sparked an outcry among  locals.

Totem Industries has a permit from the Victorian Civil  and
Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a nine-hour  dance music festival
in January, News Ltd papers  report.

The Solar Music Festival would cater for about 15,000  people - twice
the number of people who attended the  Kryal Castle rave near Ballarat
on December 8, from  which 14 people were treated in hospital for drug
  overdoses.

Ballarat Health Service (BHS) has since called for a  total ban on
rave parties.

After the Kryal Castle rave, three people were put on  life support in
intensive care after consuming a  potentially deadly mix of drugs,
including GHB  (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid), ice and amphetamines,
according to the BHS.

Now Mornington residents and police say the local  racecourse would
disturb a nursing home, racehorses and  residences.

Victoria Police spokesman Inspector Stuart King was  quoted as saying
he was concerned for the safety of  residents, partygoers and health
services.

"I'm especially concerned after the experience of Kryal  Castle and
this will be a similar event with more than  double the people," he
said.

"We have limited health services on the Peninsula and  the closest
hospital is Rosebud.

"It wouldn't take much to overwhelm them, let alone any  drug
overdoses."

Racehorse trainer Pat Carey described the choice of  venue as
"irresponsible".

It would be "a recipe for disaster", Mr Cary said.

"Can you imagine some ecstasy-driven idiot at 10  o'clock on a Sunday
night after he's been to a dance  party wandering into a horse
property and getting  hurt?"

Mr Carey said the music would terrify his 30 horses in  nearby
stables.

"The racecourse stands to make $40,000 from this  festival, but the
damage it will cause us could be  hundreds of thousands of dollars,"
he said.

Mornington Peninsula Council has already opposed the  granting of the
permit due to noise and traffic  issues.
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MAP posted-by: Derek