The law of supply and demand !

If you buy a house anywhere in Australia - wait a few months to take advantage of rising real estate values - and then sell it for a profit - that's legal !    Of course the government will get in for their cut.   Years ago they muscled into any gain we made buying and selling with the " Capital gains tax " !

That same profit motive applies to big social events like major sporting fixtures and concerts given by famous people.   Some people stand in the queues and buy as many tickets as possible - and then when the event is sold out - hike those tickets to desperate people at extortionate prices.    They are called " scalpers " !

Usually, the government misses out on their cut.   For a start, it would be rare for Scalpers to lodge a return and reimburse the tax man for that ten percent GST - and few Scalpers admit profits from scalping when they do their tax returns - so the Feds dip out on the " Capital gains tax " component.

Now the major sporting codes and the state government are proposing a crack down to put scalpers out of business.  Usually, tickets for sale at inflated prices are advertised in the social media and showing a picture of the actual ticket offered may be made mandatory.   This will allow the event organiser to identify the seat number - and refuse entry when the ticket is presented.

Of course, that will not work if the Scalper mingles with the crowd outside the ground and quietly sells his wares to those desperate to find a ticket - and who know the signs to look for to make that happen.

The surprising thing is that what in every sense of the word is a normal facet of the law of supply and demand is being attacked.    The whole world of commerce relies on a profit by buying something that can be resold at a higher price, and the key is usually " availability ".      The moment something is in short supply, the price increases !

People grumble at the prices Scalpers charge, but it is their choice to part with the money to achieve what they believe the outcome is worth, so it's hard to see any harm done.  

Interfering with the law of supply and demand is something legislators do at their peril.  Many have tried that in the past - and many have failed !

What odds that a decade from now the Scalpers are still plying their trade ?