Music Industry Fires Up For Victorian Election

The Victorian music industry has made its first big play to put the sector in the political ring in an election year as they push Melbourne as Australia's cultural capital.

Music Victoria - the state's peak body for contemporary music – has this morning released its 2014 white paper Position And Priorities with 19 recommendations to the Victorian Government that they say will support the social and economic benefits of a strong music scene.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

- Promote Melbourne's music heritage by renaming streets and establishing a Hall Of Fame
- Lodge application for Melbourne to become UNESCO 'City Of Music'
- Establishment of Contemporary Music Centre to provide office, meeting and performance space, and house Music Victoria and a Hall Of Fame
- Provide Music Victoria with four years funding
- Make more Arts Victoria grants available to contemporary music
- Reform planning system to protect venues through 'agent of change' principle
- Make it easier for venues to be compliant with the Building Code Of Australia
- Parking permits for artists to load in/out

The recommendations come at a key time in the Victorian political landscape with a state election slated for 29 November. Both the incumbent Liberal and opposition Labor parties have been low-key so far in 2014 and there is a chance for the cultural scene to be a key issue.

Recommendations include reforming noise standards to protect venues from unreasonable complaints, the creation of a 'Contemporary Music Centre' to provide office space and a Hall Of Fame and lodging an application next year with UNESCO for Melbourne to become a 'City Of Music'.

Another key aspect of the paper is the recommendation that Music Victoria receives four years funding to ensure it remains sustainable. The Government has previously indicated to Music Victoria that it expects it to be self-sufficient, something the organisation doesn't believe is possible despite increasing sponsorship, membership and donations.

Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan said, “The Victorian music sector has come along in leaps and bounds over the last four years… But we cannot get complacent.

“So far we have simply fixed what was broken by implementing long overdue initiatives to bring Victoria closer to the support received by the music sector in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. It is now time build on these achievements with a more proactive approach to continue to develop and nourish the Victorian music community to the benefit of all Victorians.”

You can download the full report here.

Today's white paper doubled with the launch of their Membership Drive, which runs until Friday 4 April.