Sydney Mayor Pushes Live Music Reforms Through Council

The City Of Sydney has unanimously agreed to begin implementing approximately 20 percent of the 57 live music policies outlined in a recent taskforce report, including parking permits for musicians and free rehearsal space for students.

After the reveal of the draft action plan from the city's Live Music Taskforce last month, Lord Mayor Council Moore pushed through a number of the policies ahead of expected schedule in Monday's council meeting.

“The Live Music Matters Action Plan is a vitally important project,” the Mayor's minute reads. “While many recommendations in the Plan require community feedback before being adopted by Council, several can be easily and immediately progressed.”

The policies rolled out at the meeting, fast-tracked by the Mayor with little forewarning, and include a live music performance series for young people, the establishment of a formal – and free – mediation process for live music complaints and research funding for the National Live Music office to monitor the scene's health.

“This initial package of policies are reforms and programs which all will make a significant difference and already have strong community support,” live music campaigner and key taskforce driver John Wardle told theMusic.com.au today.

“For me what's so exciting is the breadth of the program, across regulation through loading zones and mediation in disputes, research, a list of under 18s initiatives as well as capital works including pianos for some of the local town halls to facilitate their use across orchestras, jazz and cabaret.

“This is a suite of policies that cover all ages and genres and I'm thrilled to see a music policy that covers both regulation and sector development.”

Lord Mayor Moore added, “Reviving Sydney's live music scene is a challenge that will require long-term investment from all levels of government, but the City is committed to taking immediate action wherever we can.
“We've already received positive feedback from the community on our taskforce's action plan, with people telling us it has the potential to breathe new life into the sector and transform the cultural life of our city.”

Labor Councillor Linda Scott backed the council's decision to theMusic.com.au today, but said there was still work for council to do.

“It's great to see that we'll be doing what we can to allow City Of Sydney venues to be utilised for rehearsal and performance spaces.”

She said it was “absolutely critical” that council give the green-light to the remaining policy recommendations from the Action Plan, “many of which relate to live music venues.”

WHAT SYDNEY COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO

• Allowing students to use council-owned properties for free rehearsal after school or on weekends
• Conduct a pilot program to allow musicians and roadies to access existing loading zones near adjacent to music venues for 15 minutes to load in without fear of tickets (based on City Of Yarra's Live Music Venue Parking Permit initiative)Investigating improvements needed to the city's town halls, including buying pianos and sound attenuation, needed to facilitate more live music performances and rehearsals at the venues
• Pilot a live performance series for people aged 12-24, coordinated by the youth services team and engaging young people in the planning of the events
• Consider ways to provide financial support for all age gigs as part of the Grants and Sponsorships Policy review
• Increase the capacity of the City Of Sydney to understand and respond to the needs of the live sector
• Establishment of a formal – and free – mediation process for live music complaints that involves council, NSW Police and the NSW Office Of Liquor, Gaming & RacingInvite the National Live Music office to develop a data collection program to monitor the health and vibrancy of the live music scene in Sydney
• Invite the National Live Music office to develop a data collection program to monitor the health and vibrancy of the live music scene in Sydney

The Mayor's minutes instruct that a CEO update be provided in six months time to evaluate the progress of these projects.

The other proposals from the Live Music Taskforce's Action Plan are expected to be brought to council for consideration early next year and their success may rely on community support for these first steps.

The Action Plan is currently open to the public, with submissions closing Friday 17 January.

Also in New South Wales, Wollongong's music taskforce report is believed to be nearing completion.

Article updated to correct image description.