Labor To Use Live Music To Run For Mayor Positions

Labor Party councilors in Sydney and Newcastle are expected to use a new Labor Loves Live Music campaign for runs at the mayor's office in the respective councils.

Revealed last week, Labor member and Newcastle councilor Nuatali Nelmes spoke about the campaign to the party at the state conference last weekend. Developed by music campaigner John Wardle, Nelmes told theMusic.com.au today that both she and Sydney's Linda Scott will be using the campaign as a platform for their Lord Mayoral runs.

"Bringing it to the whole party as a platform state-wide gives awareness to the movement," said Nelmes, "so there is an awareness now among every Labor member running for council... particularly in city and metropolitan areas like Newcastle that are in desperate need of rejuvenation."

Nelmes was unable to outline any specific reforms that the campaign will implement, but said wide-spread awareness would help councils find a middle ground between live music - one aspect of a city's culture, she said - and its residents.

Although not mentioning the agent of change principle, which determines responsibility for noise management, specifically, issues regarding noise management are key to the campaign. Nelmes says she wants to continue to work done by Renew Newcastle to "rejuvenate" Newcastle's cultural core.

One example she provided was, "Local councils could protect the live music venues and residents nearby by only allowing double-glazing [on windows] within a certain distance of an existing music venue. So you don't end up with that inner-city conflict."

The next local government elections will take place Saturday 8 September, with Nelmes running against independent John Tate, who has held the position since 1999, while Scott faces another incumbent independent in the form of Clover Moore. Long-serving and heavily-backed Moore also holds a position on the state government's Legislative Assembly.