Two major associations have applauded the State Labor Government’s first Night-Time Economy Strategy, announced last Friday (October 9).
It covers all businesses operating between 6pm and 6 am – live music, dining, bars, festivals, sporting events, tourism experiences, retail activity. and essential services and workers.
At this stage, strategy and funding details are still sketchy; and the launch comes as City Perth and venue operators are expressing concern at State Government moves to change the volume level of decibels in the Northbridge entertainment precinct.
In a statement from The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport (CITS), “It (The Strategy) provides a shared direction for government, local government, industry and communities to work together to create vibrant, safe and inclusive destinations that strengthen local communities, attract visitors and support economic growth.”
The tactics for contemporary music include requiring international tours to the state to have local supports, more night-time precincts to protect live music venues from noise complaints and give operators certainty to invest more into their businesses, more Government funding, and strengthening regional touring networks to provide more jobs and opportunities for acts.
“The Night-Time Economy Strategy delivers on my government’s commitment to support tourism, hospitality, arts and culture, while creating opportunities for local businesses that create local jobs, and attracting more visitors to our cities and regions,” said Premier and Tourism, Trade and Investment Minister Roger Cook.
“By investing in vibrant places and experiences after dark, my government is building stronger communities, diversifying our economy and showcasing the best of Western Australia while supporting workers across many sectors.
“Western Australia’s night-time economy is a significant contributor to the State’s prosperity and social wellbeing, supporting more than 140,000 jobs and generating about $23 billion in annual turnover in 2024-25.”
Disappear
Owen Whittle, CEO of peak music association WAM, hailed the reforms covering local artists and venues as essential for the sector’s future.
“Without these reforms we risk the disappearance of our sector,” he said. “Over the past decade two thirds of Perth’s music venues have either closed or stopped hosting regular live music.
“This Strategy will help progress noise reform to protect venues from NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) complaints and will be complemented by a sound attenuation grant program, to help fix issues as they arise.”
Whittle is also full of praise over the idea of WA acts used on major international tours, saying it “will create one-of-a-kind career opportunities.”
He went on to say, “There is no denying the enormous benefit the chance to perform with high-profile international musicians will bring local artists and will help continue to grow our incredible music scene.
“Contemporary and live music is the largest form of the arts in WA, in terms of audience, economic impact and activity. This strategy and the previous investment the Live Music Support Package is vital to growing the music workforce and supporting our world class music scene.”
However the WA Government would have issues with promoters.
These were expressed when NSW flagged in 2024 it wanted to make it a standard practice in that state. It was under the Association of Artist Managers’ concept of “Michael’s Rule” named in honour of late Hoodoo Gurus manager Michael McMartin.
In that instance, promoters and associations such as Live Performance Australia pointed out it was the headliner artists and their management that made the decision of support acts, not them.
Promoters also expressed concern that having support acts as part of a tour’s visa requirement would create problems attracting major acts, and havoc for budgets of large scale production visits.
The issue has also blown up in New Zealand where the opposition Labor Party has vowed to introduce it as a visa requirement if it is elected to power. The NZ Government has rejected it, saying it’s “a party of choice”.
The WA chapter of the Australian Hotels Association also threw its support behind the WA Government’s move.
AHA WA CEO Bradley Woods called it “a significant win for vibrancy in Western Australia and an important recognition of the role hospitality venues play in creating great cities, towns and communities.”
Woods added the association worked closely with the Government on measures such as eradicating barriers and diversifying offerings to strengthen the state’s night-time economy and welcomed its commitment to a coordinated state-wide approach.
“For too long, discussions about the night-time economy have focused too narrowly on what happens late at night.
“This Strategy recognises that it is much bigger than that – it is our pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, live music venues, events, cultural attractions, and entertainment precincts all working together to create places people want to visit and enjoy.”
He also addressed the strategy’s impact on the state’s tourism industry and already growing, night-time economy.
Now, he said, the focus is to introduce the practical reforms to make it easier for businesses to contribute to vibrant precincts.
“The Strategy sets the direction; the next step is making sure the action plan delivers tangible outcomes on the ground.
“That means continuing to work across Government and with local governments to address unnecessary barriers to activation, support live entertainment, encourage investment, and ensure regulation enables rather than inhibits responsible businesses.”
Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk summed up: “Our creative industries and our live music scene are world-class, and the Night-Time Economy Strategy recognises that a thriving night-time economy supporting thousands of jobs, businesses and community experiences’ every night.”
Northbridge
The row over the Northbridge strip – WA’s first Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP), set up in September 2025 – is over the WA Government’s proposed changes to the precinct.
Creating the fuss is a suggestion to lower the volume level that venues can operate at. From 90 decibels (dBs) it is suggesting 79 dBs between 2am and 5am on weekends, and after midnight during the week.
The sound level of 79 dBs is equivalent to the noise of a lawnmower, food blender, vacuum cleaner or washing machine.
Last week (October 10), The City of Perth voted to formally ask the Dept. of Water And Environmental Regulation to “undertake further assessment of the likely impact on late-trading venues and explore alternative regulatory approach.”
Venue operators are alarmed for two reasons. One is that introducing a lower volume cap is going to affect business, and lower attendances will see some venues go down.
Councillor Chris Patton, who runs the venues, the Butterfly 73, Alibi and Azabu, believes it “completely kill any form of entertainment” in the early hours of the morning.
He told WA Today he had gone around the precinct with a sound meter and found most venues were operating above 90 dB.
He thought that it was a realistic level, and warned that bringing it down would see venue operators refusing to comply.
The other fear is that any amendments to Northbridge will be the statutory framework for all SEPs through the state in the future. These are already identified as Fremantle, Scarborough, Hillarys Bay Harbour, and Mandurah.
The current Northbridge sound level will stay in place for the time being, a Government spokesperson said.
This piece of content has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body
