Melbourne Live Music Reforms To Be Signed Off This Week

Long-awaited Victorian live music reforms are set to be signed-off on this week after a tense couple of weeks within the industry.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy will finalise changes to planning regulation that will fortify the agent of change principle for music venues. It means that new developments nearby existing music venues will responsible for noise, rather than the venues themselves.

Minister Guy has told Fairfax today, “This is by far and away the strongest planning regulatory reform in Australia that protects existing live music venues.”

He added, “This means beloved pubs and clubs that are home to live music in Victoria will not be forced to close due to noise complaints from those in new apartment buildings or new houses next door.”

It is understood that a $500,000 fund to help soundproof venues in heritage buildings will also be set up by the Liberal Denis Napthine State Government.

The Minister has been working with music industry bodies like Music Victoria to establish the reforms but delays to the original April timeline prompted music lobby group SLAM [Save Live Australia’s Music] to attack the Minister. The tensions prompted crisis talks that have resulted in this week’s expected reforms.

Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan, who told theMusic.com.au previously, “We’re getting calls every two day from terrified venues, with developments going up next door [to them]” celebrated the result today.

“This is a big win for the Victorian live music industry, a lot of things that were broken have finally been fixed,” he told the paper. “While unfortunately it is too late for some venues, like Cherry Bar, it looks like it has come in just in the nick of time for many other venues.”