SafeWork NSW is launching an enquiry into the 2025 version of Bluesfest, regarding “concerns raised…in relation to security, crowd control,” and other issues.
Bluesfest is back in the headlines, but not for its all-star lineup or record crowds. This time, it’s workplace safety and internal unrest making noise behind the scenes of the iconic Byron Bay festival.
SafeWork NSW has confirmed it’s “making enquiries” into several concerns raised following the 2025 edition of the event, which again ran over the Easter long weekend and reported its third-highest attendance on record with 109,000 punters.
The state regulator told Tone Deaf it received five separate requests for service after the festival, citing issues relating to “security, crowd control, traffic management and access to and from venues.” No further details have been disclosed, with the enquiry still ongoing.
Bluesfest declined to comment on the investigation.
The probe follows weeks of turbulence for the festival, which only recently backflipped on its “last-ever” claim and announced it will return again in 2026. At the same time, former Bluesfest Head of Marketing Jay Clair went public on LinkedIn with allegations of a toxic internal culture in a blistering social media post.
“What began as a purpose-driven role gradually revealed its cost,” Clair wrote. “I saw how a toxic culture chips away at great people… I stayed. I fought. I tried to be the bridge. But eventually, I realised: change wasn’t welcome.”
Clair joined Bluesfest in 2023 and departed this April. His claims, while unverified, paint a chaotic picture behind the festival’s polished public face.
Still, Bluesfest 2025 boasted a stacked lineup, with performances from Tom Morello, Chaka Khan, and Crowded House helping drive huge ticket sales.
Bluesfest 2026 is scheduled for April 2–5. Whether it returns under the same leadership—or with a clean bill from regulators—remains to be seen.
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