None of the 15,000 ticket holders for conservative influencer Candace Owens’ cancelled Australian tour are expected to receive refunds after the promoter, Rocksman, collapsed with just 21 Australian cents in its bank account. The company entered liquidation in December, and its liquidator, David Sampson, reported that refunds are impossible as Rocksman had no insurance and had spent all its money.
Owens herself claims to be hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket, alleging she was misled by Rocksman. Her spokesperson said the promoter promised to cover legal costs for challenging her visa refusal but failed to do so, leaving Owens’ team to pay hundreds of thousands in legal bills and provide loans to Rocksman for refunds that never materialised.
The tour’s main sponsor, bullion dealer As Good As Gold, also claims to be owed $80,000. Co-director Jarrad Panes expressed frustration, saying Rocksman promised repayment but never delivered. The tour was arranged by George Zacharia, Damien Costas, and Joel Jammal, who had previously collaborated on rightwing speaking tours.
Costas, a former South Australian Liberal party staffer, has a history of business failures, including collapsed companies linked to Penthouse magazine. He helped Jammal set up Turning Point Australia, the local offshoot of Charlie Kirk’s US group. Jammal denied any impropriety regarding Rocksman’s handling of funds.
Owens’ visa was refused by the Australian government on the grounds she had the “capacity to incite discord,” a decision upheld by the high court in October. The tour’s cancellation has left ticket holders, who paid between $95 and $1,500, without recourse for refunds.
