Take Action
We are lucky there are specific people who have the power to help save our home.
If we all take the time to send an email or make a phone call we will be a hot topic with the people in government who have the power to help the doof survive.
All we have to do is keep asking nicely and making the case why saving Esoteric and supporting musical festivals is good for the whole community.
Channel all the pain and energy into communicating to the people who can help us.
We either stand up for what we love or we lose it.
You are an ambassador for our community in all that you do. Show the respect and good vibes that is the hallmark of our culture and why it's precious and worth saving.
Actions to Take
Tag on Social Media
Tag the government and its officials (your local member, relevant ministers, the parties, the Buloke Council) in your social media posts
Phone and email the relevant people who have the power to help save the doof.
Send a letter to Buloke Shire Council CEO, PO Box 1, Wycheproof, Victoria 3527. Email buloke@buloke.vic.gov.au
Contact the Council
Sign Up for Campaign Updates
Be part of the movement to save the doof.
Contact the State Government
The state government has the power to help save Esoteric and make a hospitable environment for festivals in general. Our most important task is to come together as a community to advocate to them.
We are fortunate enough to still live in a democracy and it’s time to make our voices heard.
Every government person has an office with a phone and email you are welcomed to contact and they will respond. They are paid to listen to you. They want to know what issues are a concern for the voting community.
What happened was caused by human beings and can easily be changed by human beings.
Politicians care enough about votes they will hand out flyers at the local train station.
Let the government know about the tragedy that has occurred and this is what you will be voting about. Let them know why the cancellation of Esoteric is a catastrophe for regional Victoria, small businesses, the arts, democracy, mental health, the economy and the wider Victoria community.
Let them know how this affected you personally, all the money lost, the time invested, the heart break we've endured.
Let them know why this was such a sad thing to happen and all the good things that come from music festivals. The friendships, the fun, the creativity, the community connections, the opportunities to showcase art not found anywhere else, massive cash injections for regional economies etc.
This is our chance to reclaim the narrative and start sharing our side of the story.
Explain why what is good for the doof is good for us all and ask them to do something about it. They can change the regulatory environment and offer financial assistance. The POPE system that was the reason for the last minute Esoteric cancellation is currently up for review.
What is the Government Anyway?
For everyone new to this stuff our system in Victoria is comprised of two parts.
There is the legislative council who proposes laws, and the legislative assembly which then votes on whether these laws are passed.
The party that wins a majority of seats in the legislative council gets to form government. Some people get special roles such as the Premier who is the leader of Victoria, and Ministers who are responsible for a particular portfolio such as small business, health, creative arts etc.
You and your area are represented by one person in the legislative council and five in the legislative assembly. This is what the two bits of paper you get in the election decide.
To find out who represents you go this link and search.
https://findelectorate.parliament.vic.gov.au/?internal=1
You can also contact the relevant ministers with issues regarding their portfolio.
The State government is just people like you and me. What they decide to do on a topic is a function of their personal views and how much they think people care about it. This is what makes a polite, passionate and persuasive e-mail so powerful.
They are paid to listen to you. You are welcome to contact their office by phone or e-mail anytime.
Content Ideas
Here are some ideas to help get you started. Make it your own.
Example Structure
Who are you?
You can say your profession and how you are involved with Esoteric. If you are writing to your local MPs make sure to say you live in their electorate.
Why are you writing to them?
Why are festivals good for the whole Victorian community?
What do you want them to do?
Abolish/change the onerous and convoluted POPE (Place of Public Entertainment) permit system. This is currently being reviewed by the Department of Transport and Planning
Make changes to provide a clear, efficient and fair regulatory framework for festival organisers
Implement the recommendations of industry bodies like the Australian Festival Association
Offer more financial and regulatory support to music festivals in recognition of the immense benefits they bring to the Victorian community
Grant Esoteric Festival emergency funding to ensure the event can survive and come back in 2026
Example Subject Lines
I’m Voting for Music Festivals, Please Help Save Esoteric Festival, The POPE System Cancelled Christmas
Example E-Mail
Hello,
My name is _. I am a _ and live in your electorate.
I'm writing regarding the devastating last-minute cancellation of Esoteric Festival in Donald this year.
Esoteric Festival was cancelled due to the denial of a POPE permit by the municipal building surveyor.
This was despite approval from the democratically elected council, the backing of the local community and the full support of the emergency services responsible for health and safety.
This meant the loss of a 15-million-dollar boost to a regional community and devastated small businesses. Thousands of people poured their hearts and souls, money, time and energy into creating something beautiful for their community to have it all wiped out.
Cancelling Esoteric was as bad as cancelling Christmas. It was like a cyclone tearing through our community. Please help ensure the event can run in 2026 and beyond.
I request the government please
Abolish/change the onerous and convoluted POPE (Place of Public Entertainment) permit system. This system is currently being reviewed by the Department of Transport and Planning.
Make changes to provide a clear, efficient and fair regulatory framework for festival organisers
Offer more financial and regulatory support to music festivals in recognition of the immense benefits they bring to the Victorian community
Grant Esoteric Festival emergency funding to ensure the event can survive and come back in 2026
This is the issue that matters most to me and I will be voting for music festivals this election.
If you could please respond with your thoughts I would be grateful.
Thank you so much for your time.
Warm regards
Example E-Mail You Can Copy and Paste
SUBJECT LINE: Please help save Esoteric Festival / I'm Voting for Music Festivals
Hello,
I am writing regarding the last-minute cancellation of Esoteric Festival this year.
This was a devastating blow for small businesses, the arts, democracy, mental health, regional communities and Victoria as a whole.
The event has run safely for the last eight years. The event has earned the full support of the emergency services responsible for on the ground health and safety, the local community and the democratically elected local council.
There is overwhelming evidence the event was safe and complaint to run. Despite this the event was denied a POPE permit days before opening by the municipal building surveyor and all avenues for appeal refused. The grounds for doing so are questionable and the consequences were catastrophic.
Cancelling Esoteric was as bad as cancelling Christmas. Thousands of people poured their hearts, souls, time, love money and energy into creating something beautiful to share together as a community to have it all obliterated. The financial devastation for small businesses, artists and vendors has been horrific.
Esoteric Festival is special and worth saving. Everyone is welcome at Esoteric. The police say they look forward to going every year and were sad to see it not go ahead. It provides opportunities for the arts not found anywhere else. It is a hot pot of innovative ideas of benefit to Victoria as a whole. It supports health and community cohesion.
The loss of Esoteric Festival would be a loss for Victoria and I ask you to please not let that happen.
More background information on the situation is available here for your consideration
https://esotericfestival.com.au/esoteric-2025-postponement-release/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-06/esoteric-festival-cancelled/105020472
My Request to the Government
Please offer Esoteric Festival emergency funding to help the event survive this catastrophe. The event suffered $2 million of losses and is in jeopardy. It brings $15 million a year into the Wimmera Mallee region each year and supports thousands of jobs, small businesses and creative industries so any investment to ensure its survival will bring great dividends for the Victorian community.
The POPE system is currently under review with the Department of Transport and Planning. Please work with industry bodies like the Australian Festival Association to provide a clear, efficient and fair regulatory framework for festival organisers.
Please continue and expand programs like the Live Music Festivals Fund to help financially support music festivals for all the benefits they bring.
Please help save our community. I will be voting for music festivals this election.
Please respond to let me know your thoughts on this issue.
Thank you for your time. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Make Your Efforts Count!
The more respectful and articulate you are the more people will listen.
Keep it simple and concise.
Make it clear what you want them to do.
Here is a guide that shows the format you can use in writing a letter to a MP.
Follow up: If you have not received a response after one month, telephone the MPs office to remind them about your letter and check when you are likely to receive a response. If you do not receive a response within a fortnight of your call, try again. And keep trying until you succeed. Persistent, but polite, constituents tend to get what they want! Remember, your MP has a responsibility to represent you and to communicate with you. That is why they were elected and why they are paid. (Taken from https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-we-do/advocacy-and-campaigns/writing-to-your-mp/ which has other great information)
Contact Your Local Representatives
Input your postcode into this webpage
https://findelectorate.parliament.vic.gov.au/?internal=1
It will come up with your DISTRICT and REGION.
You have 6 total representatives in government for your area. One in the legislative council who come up with laws, five in the legislative assembly who then vote on them.
The DISTRICT shows the one person representing you in the legislative council. If you click it will come up with their profile and their contact details.
The REGION shows the five people in the legislative assembly representing you. Click their profile to find their contact details.
CONTACT THEM ALL and let them know you’re voting for Esoteric and Music Festivals!!!!!!!
Contact Relevant Government Officials
The following government officials hold portfolios relevant to the issue. Contact them and highlight why it's important for their area of responsibility.
Premier Hon. Jacinta Allan
Phone: (03) 9651 5000
Email: jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks
Phone: (03) 9467 5657
Email: colin.brooks@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes
Phone: 03 9651 5111
Email: jaclyn.symes@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Housing and Building Hon. Harriet Shing
This is the ministerial portfolio overseeing the building surveying that denied the POPE permit.
Phone: (03) 9637 9654
Email: harriet.shing@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Small Business and Employment Hon. Natalie Suleyman
Email: minister.suleyman@minstaff.vic.gov.au
Email: natalie.suleyman@parliament.vic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 591 858
Phone: (03) 9367 9925
Local Member for Mildura Ms Jade Benham
Phone: (03) 5021 2828
Get Involved
Join the campaign to save our community.
Together we can save our home. Viva la doof!!!
Contact: saveeso@protonmail.com
Brought to you by the Re-Generation