ALP Pledge Rock'N'Roll Hall Of Fame In Lead Up To Victorian Election

Victorian State Opposition leader Daniel Andrews and Shadow Minister Of Arts And Youth Affairs Martin Foley today gathered with music industry luminaries at the iconic Sing Sing recording studios in Melbourne to launch their party's music platform.

With the state election looming large on November 29, Andrews and Foley stood alongside Michael Gudinski and Ian "Molly" Meldrum to announce a $22.2 million package aimed at boosting "development of the local rock music industry."

Central to the announcement was the promise of creating a physical home for an Australian Rock'N'Roll Hall Of Fame. "Where else would you put it but in our city?" announced Andrews.

The Labor Party platform also included promises of:

• Victoria Rocks grants for artists, venues and managers
• Creation of the The Music Market to offer industry guidance
• Support of an expanded industry mentoring program

Andrews chastised the current Victorian Liberal government's relationship with the industry: "The Liberals abandoned artists who were trying to build their career — it's hurt the scene and hurt the state."

According to detailed plans distributed at the launch, The Music Market initiative will act as a headquarters of a new Victorian Music Development Office, "providing leadership on investment, grants, exports and music business development."

The Victoria Rocks grants will support mentoring and career development, music in regional Victoria and offer "dollar-for-dollar grants to venues to manage problems with encroachment from neighbours, fix poor acoustics and dodgy PAs."

Foley claimed music industry mentoring had "had the life and heart cut out of it" during the current government's time in office.

Gudinski claimed the Labor platform was showing they were serious, adding "To hear these words, I get goosebumps."

Meldrum described the news of the Hall Of Fame as "music to my ears."

As recently as September, a music industry report card on Victoria's political parties had shown Labor were late in putting together a strategy for the election.