DOOF NEWS
27th March : Site negotiations still under
way. As soon as details solidify, word will be posted here.
16th April : Got the word today that we
wont get any info till a few days before MardiGrass. Can ya
handle it?
18th April : INTRA
are also pleased to be trialling Chill Out at the Saturday
night Doof with experienced workers from Gold Coast Chill
Out service.
19th April:
Open Mind Freedom
Festival
Electric Corroboree
Your body is your temple and
therefore your beliefs
6pm Sat 5th May til midday
Sunday
http://www.openmindfreedomfestival.com/
http://www.myspace.com/openmind_freedomfestival
Entry: $30 at the gate
Presale tickets for $20+b/f
are available at Daizy Shop, Cullen Street, Nimbin.
Location to be announced Friday
May 4th!!!
27th April 2007:
MARDI GRASS DOOF DONATES $2000 TO
NIMBIN SKATE PARK!
MARDI GRASS DOOF CANCELLED BY LISMORE COUNCIL & COPS!
Background
Since 2000, The Dance for Drug Law Reform (or Mardi Grass
“Doof" or all-night dance party) has been a regular
fringe event of the notorious Nimbin Mardi Grass. Originally
founded by local 2nd generation hippy kids for three reasons…
Firstly, as an attempt to offer some youthful perspective
to an otherwise 60s-style event.
Secondly, the Doof was initiated in an attempt to draw Mardi
Grass attendees who wished to “party on into the night”
AWAY from the village of Nimbin. This followed several years
of Nimbin suffering 24 hr congestion, noise, bongo jams and
some property damage and anti-social behaviour throughout
the Mardi Grass.
Since the first time, the results have been obvious. Nimbin
shuts down at midnight and those young or mad enough to want
to continue celebrating move out of town to a single, contained,
dedicated, safe environment where they stay. Any Police who
attended these events in the past have always seemed relieved
that this “containment” minimized their workload
on an already over-stretched weekend.
Last but certainly not least, any and all profits from the
event were then donated to the local hospital, bush-fire brigade,
radio station Skate Park etc. For the first time ever, money
brought to Nimbin by the Mardi Grass was staying IN the town
and being distributed to organizations that benefited the
WHOLE community.
Is it really just about noise?
The Nimbin Skate Park is a good case in point. A community
youth-based council-approved project built over a period of
years by a mixture of government grants and locally-donated
love, sweat and tears. The doof “organizers” for
instance have already donated $2000 towards it. This year's
party was to raise an additional $2500 for noise tests in
partnership with Lismore City Council. Unfortunately, the
Skate Park (like the doof) has run into legal troubles over
noise complaints from a few neighbors.
At the same time as all this, the Mardi Grass itself has
been a highly successful and peaceful event. Last year though
a large amount of publicity and police funding were given
to claims that Mardi Grass was a “Cronulla-style riot”
about to explode. As a result many, many police were in attendance,
waiting apparently for a riot that never happened. Old stoners,
pot heads, hippies, tourists, backpackers and such don’t
tend to riot much.
Yesterday, three representatives of the Doof “organizers”
attended a meeting with Lismore Police and Council. At this
meeting, they were informed that the Doof could not continue
without a Development Application (a legal impossibility within
2 weeks).
Does Bluey actually WANT a riot?
It was pointed out to the authorities that the doof was in
fact a “safety valve” for the Mardi Grass. Without
it, the Police would have an extremely difficult time clearing
NImbin at the 12 o’clock curfew they intend to maintain.
An acoustic party somewhere was suggested. We pointed out
that this might work if Mardi Grass was just for old hippies
but that the Doof actually took care of the younger generations
and the more hot-headed patrons that attend such an event.
By midnight, Nimbin would be full of such folk. What would
happen to Nimbin without a doof to draw them away?
Repeatedly, it was asked how we (the community) could work
with the Police to ensure a peaceful result and what strategies
could be employed. We were told that “our concerns were
noted” and that the Police would deal with it.
Shortly afterwards, our meeting was interrupted by a phone
call from Superintendent Bruce “Bluey” Lyons (the
Lismore Area Commander who last year publicly identified Mardi
Grass with Cronulla) to enquire how the “meeting was
going”. We reiterated our concerns about clearing a
partying crowd from Nimbin if there was no doof to send them
to. We were told that the Doof could not happen.
Council’s White Elephant- the Nimbin Skate Park
The Mardi Grass Doof was commended for its community-mindedness
but apparently a donation of $2500 to the Skate Park isn't
enough.
Even though the Skate Park is a problem of Council’s
own creation (they approved the initial DA and funding after
all)…
Even though the Doof is a financial partner with Council
in current noise tests to make the skate park a viable project…
Even though it was assumed (apparently wrongly) that the
non-appearance (or subsequent lack of negative feedback) by
Council along with the obvious relief shown by any attending
Police Officers was tantamount to a de-facto approval for
previous Doofs…
Lismore Council has threatened the “organizers”
of the party with a $110,000 fine if the Doof continues in
Lismore Shire.
What does all this mean?
It’s obvious that the “powers-that-be” really
don’t want Mardi Grass to continue as it has. If one
were paranoid, it would be easy to conclude that a chaotic,
violent riot is a perfect excuse to shut an event down. Last
year’s attempts to create this were unsuccessful. Doofers
and party-goers at midnight though are a more rowdy bunch…
a perfect target in fact.
Whatever the case, the Mardi Grass Doof cannot continue this
year within the Lismore Shire. Various disorganized “renegade”
parties around the area on that night can be anticipated as
a direct result. We are in no way responsible for any ensuing
chaos.
Neil Pike. 2007
