NSW Upper House includes live music roundtable in festival legislation draft

Music industry bodies have welcomed amendments by the Upper House to the draft legislation of the contentious NSW Music Festivals Bill last night (November 13).

The draft now includes establishing an industry roundtable to ensure ongoing consultation and transparency on the operation of the regulations.

Live Performance Australia’s chief executive, Evelyn Richardson, was fast to point out that the industry has been calling for “meaningful consultation” for more than a year.

“We’ve also been calling for the establishment of an industry roundtable where we can work together to ensure safety at music festivals.

“We believe it’s important that the consultation process is set out clearly in the legislation. We thank the Parliament for supporting the industry’s call.”

The media release was signed by Live Performance Australia, Australian Festival Association, APRA AMCOS, Live Music Office and Music NSW.

The live music industry is urging customer service minister Victor Dominello to convene the first roundtable before the end of the year.

The live sector has been calling for talks before the summer festival season began in mid-November.

Richardson emphasised again today, “We’re ready to sit down and work with government and this industry roundtable provides the mechanism for genuine dialogue.”

John Graham, shadow minister for music and the night-time economy, says regulating festivals without talking to the industry is simply dangerous.

“We are calling on the premier to accept these amendments, and get this in place in time for summer.

“This roundtable has been supported by a parliamentary inquiry, the deputy coroner’s report, the counsel assisting the Ice commissioner, the police commissioner, and government agencies including Liquor and Gaming and NSW Health.”

“The government should support it too.”

The Bill now heads to the Legislative Assembly to accept or reject the amendments.

Ahead of the Upper House debate this week, the live music sector gathered at NSW parliament.

Among them were reps from Splendour in the Grass, Falls Music and Arts Festival, Listen Out Australian Festival Association, Fuzzy Events, Days Like This, EMC Australia, as well as a handful of live music activist politicians from around the state.

Also this week, Parliamentary Friends of Music welcomed Clive Miller, CEO of Support Act, to parliament for a chat about the work that it does to help artists, roadies and music workers in crisis.

Parliamentary Friends Group is among those helping the national November 15 #ausmusictshirtday to raise money for Support Act.