Candace Owens’ cancelled Australian tour has reportedly become a financial nightmare for around 15,000 ticket holders.
According to The Guardian, Australians who bought tickets for the conservative commentator’s 2024 speaking tour are not expected to receive refunds after the event promoter, Rocksman, allegedly collapsed with just 21 Australian cents remaining in its bank account.
The company reportedly went into liquidation in December after running out of funds, leaving customers, sponsors, and even Owens herself among those said to be owed money.
The tour ultimately fell apart after the Australian government denied Owens a visa, claiming she had the “capacity to incite discord.” That decision was later upheld by the country’s high court in October.
Joel Jammal, whose organization sponsored the tour, estimated that nearly 15,000 tickets had been sold, suggesting the company collected at least $1.4 million before shutting down.
Liquidator David Sampson stated in a statutory report filed with Asic on March 3 that refunds could not be issued because Rocksman had no insurance policy covering cancellations and had already exhausted all available funds. The report also listed George Zacharia as the company’s sole director and shareholder.
A spokesperson for Owens told The Guardian, “Candace’s team ended up paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills, as well as providing numerous loans to Rocksman to make refunds [before] it became apparent that their assurances were meaningless.”
The spokesperson also said, “Right up until the last day, they were still promising us that refunds were just around the corner.”
The Guardian further reported that gold dealer As Good As Gold, one of the tour’s sponsors, claims it is still owed $80,000. Co-director Jarrad Panes said Rocksman had promised repayment in 2025, but the funds were never returned.
“It’s like, what have you done with all of this money?” Panes questioned.
Tickets for Candace Owens’ cancelled Australian tour were reportedly priced between $95 and $1,500 for VIP experiences.
