Keep Sydney Open announces lead candidates and manifesto

In the run-up to the March 23 NSW election, the Keep Sydney Open Party has unveiled its lead candidates and manifesto.

Spearheading the bill is Keep Sydney Open (KSO) movement co-founder and spokesperson Tyson Koh.

Before organising protest rallies and contributing to government roundtables on live music, Koh was a producer of ABC’s Rage for eight years and programmed music for major events like Sydney Festival, the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and Darling Harbour’s NYE 2015 fireworks display.

Koh said, “The voters of NSW have seen first-hand what happens when Government reaches too far into the lives of private citizens.

“Our culture, our nightlife and our economy have suffered as a result. It’s time to change that for all of NSW.”

Other lead candidates are former City of Sydney deputy lord mayor Jess Miller and LGBTQI+ advocate and director of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Jesse Matheson.

Today, KSO also released its full policy platform.

These include investing $100 million into contemporary music and performance over four years (Paid for by reducing over $1 billion in tax subsidies for pokies), close the loopholes in the NSW Lobbyist Code to stop gains-for-mates, axe the lockouts and allow  24-hour trading for well-run venues and axe the upcoming strict music festival licensing.

The party is also proposing an end to the special exemptions for casinos from the three-strikes liquor licensing scheme and the violent venues list.