Millions In Funding For Industry & Festivals: Labor Promises to 'End The War On Music'

The Labor Party has vowed to "end the war on music" in New South Wales should they win next month's state election. 

Ahead of its music policy launch in Sydney today, Labor Leader Michael Daley said they will throw its full support behind the local music industry by increasing total funding for contemporary music from less than $4 million over the last four years under the Liberal and National Government to $35 million. 

“NSW has lost hundreds of venues and thousands of jobs since the NSW Liberals and Nationals were elected in 2011. Now due to the actions of the NSW Liberals and Nationals, we are losing music festivals as well," Daley said.

“Labor will put an end to the war on music."

It comes after a rally was announced to take place in Sydney next week, to protest the NSW government's widely-panned festival policy, while over 75,000 people have signed a petition pushing for the policy to be dropped. 

Daley and Shadow Minister for Music and the Night Time Economy, John Graham, today revealed Labor’s complete plan for the music sector which includes:

• Establishing a “Music Community” designation to recognise communities that have a strong music sector and value music
• Direct support for artists to record and tour, including internationally through a new $1.3 million “Music Passport” program and regionally and nationally through a new $5.1 million “band aid” program
• Invest $4 million in supporting music festivals across NSW, including $700,000 to the Sydney fringe festival. Labor will also streamline the licensing process for music festivals and allow organisers with an established record to obtain multi-year approvals for festivals
• Rebuilding the suburban and regional touring circuit in NSW, with $1.3 million to support an “On the Road Again” program to take music industry promoters and booking agents on tour to regional venues and provide a substantial funding boost to the ‘Live and Local’ program
• Creating a home for the music sector in Sydney. It will include performance and rehearsal spaces, recording and writing studios, youth programming and community radio, with a contribution of up to $10 million

“Labor wants to keep venues open, and keep musicians in work. We want festivals moving to NSW, not fleeing the jurisdiction," Graham said.

“The measures that we announce today will help the NSW music scene reach its potential.”

APRA AMCOS CEO, Dean Ormston, applauded Labor's announcement in a statement given to The Music today.

"This policy not only a clearly articulates a response to last year’s inquiry into the NSW music sector, it recognises our broader impact with a whole of government approach to help reach our full potential," Ormston said.