Can The 'Annandale Mayor' Save Live Music In NSW?

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne is throwing himself into the middle of the live music venue debate in Sydney with the announcement that he'll be forcing 'Good Neighbour' policy vote through council, with the aim to stop legal action against venues.

A supporter of the Annandale Hotel, Mayor Byrne – a member of the Labor party – has been increasingly vocal since the owners of the iconic Sydney live pub handed ownership over to receivers. At the time he made a guarantee to theMusic.com.au that his council would not take legal action against live venues and this council push – which is being made in conjunction with Labor Deputy Mayor Linda Kelly – appears to be the fruits of that guarantee.

The Good Neighbour policy addresses the key aspects of the Agent Of Change principle. The policy is designed to give protection and precedence to existing venues over newly-arrived residents and that in the case of a noise complaint, council Cultural and Event Officers must be consulted before action is taken. In addition, peak music industry bodies and the Office Of Liquor, Gaming And Racing must be consulted prior to legal action. The policy also seeks to establish monthly meetings between live music venues and local residents.

Today Mayor Byrne told theMusic that he'll be taking the policy to council on next Tuesday 26 February and it will be implemented immediately if supported by the council.

“I want to use this as a blueprint for councils across the state,” he said. “I think there's a growing consensus [among the community] that something needs to be done… If the Annandale going into receivership isn't a wake-up call, I don't know what is.”

Leichhardt's council of 12 is comprised of four members from each the Labor, Liberal and Greens parties. Byrne, who is on the record as saying councils needed to stop being the “fun police” and stop “pandering to a small number of activists”, will need to get a majority of those councillors onside.

Last year Labor's local government candidates ran with the Labor Loves Live Music policy as part of their campaign for the September elections. In particular Newcastle's Nuatali Nelmes and Sydney's Linda Scott were running for Lord Mayoral positions with the policy, but both were beaten at the poll.

“We need young people, musicians and licensees to pour pressure on the councils,” the Leichhardt Mayor said today. “We need to build a grass roots campaign across Sydney that mobilises thousands and thousands of people.”

The push – which has given Byrne national exposure this week – unsurprisingly drew approval from Federal Labor Minister and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett, who launched the Labor Loves Live Music policy. The MP tweeted that he was “fully behind” Byrne.

A petition aimed at influencing other councils in New South Wales is nearing its goal of 1,500 signatures today. It attracted 1,000 names in 24 hours.

The flurry of talk arrives the week of the SLAM Day live music awareness campaign, organisers of which have admitted to theMusic that the timing is not only ironic but even distracting. Byrne said today that "if any good" can come out of the Annandale's precarious position, it will be the mobilising of the music-loving public and councils to secure live music venues for the future.