Music Australia Now Enshrined in Law as Creative Australia Bill Passes Parliament

The Creative Australia Bill, which lays the legal framework for Music Australia to come into existence, has passed Parliament today.

The passing of the Bill is another milestone for the execution of Australia’s new National Cultural Policy, with Music Australia set to start operating this year.

Music Australia will sit under Creative Australia – formerly the Australia Council for the Arts – which is due to start operating on July 1.

In addition, Creative Workplaces is a new body which the Federal Government said will “raise and set workplace standards across all art forms, with organisations seeking Federal Government funding being expected to adhere to these standards”.

Music Australia, meanwhile, will be expected to deliver targeted support and investment to empower Australia’s contemporary music industry to rebuild and realise its local and global potential.

“It will grow the market for contemporary Australian music, deliver song writing and recording initiatives in schools, support industry professionals to learn business and management skills, and provide central coordination around access to live music venues for bands and solo artists,” the Government said.

Arts Minister Tony Burke said for too long, Australian contemporary music has been ignored by Government, and that Music Australia will change that.

“This is a decision for safe creative workplaces and for our music to be the soundtrack to life in Australia.

“Australian artists have been calling out for drive, direction, and vision. This delivers on that call,” he said.

“Creative Australia means there’ll now be a single body – regardless of whether the work is supported by government, philanthropists or is purely commercial,” he added.

“After a decade of culture wars and neglect under the previous government – we’re supporting, respecting and funding the Australian arts sector.”

ARIA and PPCA welcomed the Parliamentary passage of the Creative Australia legislation and thanked the Government and all who supported the bill.

ARIA and PPCA CEO, Annabelle Herd, noted, however, that Music Australia has a big job ahead of it.

“While consumption of music is growing in Australia, our share of listening of local music is facing serious challenges with very few Aussie artists making it into the top of the ARIA Charts. The competition here and globally has never been stronger and a strategic focus and investment from Government has been lacking,” she said.

“Key to the success of Music Australia will be a solid focus on strong and sustainable music businesses across the ecosystem.

“ARIA and PPCA look forward to working closely with Music Australia on the urgent priorities of growing export and addressing discoverability, while developing a long-term plan to lift Australian music to its full potential and bring our amazing recording artists the global success they deserve.

“The extensive remit outlined for the Centre for Creative Workplaces is bold with limited resources, so we look forward to working with the new office on prioritising key projects to ensure a safe and inclusive creative industry.”