Councils To Conduct Survey In Bid For Lockouts Exemption For Live Music Venues

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne's call for Sydney's live music venues to be exempt from lockout laws has been given a boost with news this week that Council has voted unanimously in favour of the notion and as a result, a survey is set to be initiated in a bid to prove that live music venues do not have the same impact in regards to drinking culture and violent incidents to that of other licensed premises. 

Speaking to theMusic, Byrne said that alongside the Live Music Office, the Leichhardt Council will survey music audiences, musicians and venue operators across inner Sydney to get their feedback on what they feel are the benefits of live music venues as opposed to other licensed premises. 

"Basically the [NSW] government has shut out the voices of young people and not-so-young people who actually attend live music in the CBD and refused to listen," Byrne said.

"So having a government taking the lead in actually surveying audiences about their views I think is an important and respectful thing to do."

The survey will also aim to study drinking patterns between live music venues and other licensed premises.

"It's going to take some resources," Byrne said.

"So I'll be talking to the national Live Music Office over the next few days about what sort of consultancy we might need to get on board to produce a really sophisticated body of evidence about the benefits of live music venues in terms of reducing unhealthy drinking and violent incidents."

The proposal will also push for trading conditions that compensate reduced trading during performance times, as well as proper research into reduced alcohol consumption at live music venues, after statistics last week found that live music revenue in Sydney has taken a hit since the lockouts were introduced. 

Meanwhile, Live Music Office Policy Director John Wardle said of the initiative, "Governments are very good at determining high risk conditions across a range of regulations for venues, but much less forthcoming with providing for low risk activity."

Wardle believes the music sector and the government should be working together to encourage a "healthy and creative scene".

"An important step could be acknowledging and valuing live music venues that focus on delivering curated entertainment, just as the dramatic arts are as a recognised lower risk profile," he said.