In an editorial opinion piece written for The Sunday Age today, Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan demands that state planning laws be changed to protect music venues from noise complaints as inner city areas are further developed for residents.
To coincide with the CBD-located Cherry Rock Festival, Donovan points out that events such as Cherry remain under threat while "the agent of change" principle is used only as a guide and not enacted as legislation.
The principle, explains Donovan, suggests that the onus for 'noise mitigation' should fall on the developer (the agent of change) and not the already established venue that they may build residencies next to.
Donovan insists that if there were "agent of change" laws introduced it would "ensure developers are responsible for due diligence in soundproofing and for managing new residents' expectations - spelling out to them that they cannot campaign to shut down an existing live music venue after they move in."
Donovan says that the issue of venue noise and residents would be the crux of the music industry's case when it discusses the issue with the state government and Liquor Licensing at the forthcoming Premier's Live Music Roundtable.
