As the debate regarding NSW’s live music and festival scene rages on, a new gang of festival protectors have banded together to take on the increasingly repressive NSW state government and their damaging policies.
After the formation of the Australian Festival Association late last year, comprised of some of NSW and Australia’s biggest festivals, a new gang of crusaders have come together. Joining the AFA are Music NSW, APRA AMCOS, Live Performance Australia and the Live Music Office. They’ve come together in a bid to put a stop to Gladys Berejiklian and the Liberal state government’s music festival licensing changes.
A new Australian music industry coalition has formed, bringing together some of the biggest names in Aus music, to take on the Liberal state government
Together they have viewed, and subsequently rejected, the draft regulations proposed by the state government. In a statement, the group said “As they stand, the new regulations will put festivals, events and live music in our cities, regional and remote communities under real threat,”
“We are deeply concerned the NSW Government is rushing ahead with a new license regime without proper industry consultation and careful consideration of the operational and economic impact of these changes.”
The group went on to point out that NSW is currently the largest market for music festivals, with over 6 million attendees per year, and contributing over $325 million to the NSW economy.
This is not the first coalition to come together in opposition of the state government’s increasingly tight guidelines on NSW’s live music scene and nightlife. Just last week a group of Sydney venues and MP’s held an open forum to discuss the issue and propose policy solutions to be presented to the Liberal government in a bid to find a compromise, and reinvigorate the dying arts culture.
The loss of the music scene and festivals in NSW would be a disastrous hit to both the economy and the culture of the state. If you’re keen to take a stand against these repressive policies, you can head down to the Don’t Kill Live Music Rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park later today.
