Abstract:

Shane Homan's detailed case study of the political witch-hunt conducted against the operators of Sydney's Phoenician Club, after the ecstasy-related death of a juvenile who had attended a dance party at the club earlier on the same night, illustrates how legislation concerning the regulation of public spaces can be deployed in a punitive manner in response to particular 'moral panics' and/or political opportunism. Drawing broader
implications, Homan also points to the manner in which such complex regulatory webs have succeeded in severely restricting the range of venues available for live music performance in Sydney, drastically altering the city's music culture over the last decade.

Author: SHANE HOMAN