UPDATE: The Legislative Assembly has now voted to legislate the creation of the industry roundtable, seeing the Music Festivals Bill. This will include an equal amount of government and industry members and is expected to meet at least four times a year, with one of those meetings to take place at a music festival site.
“This is a victory for common sense,” Shadow Minister for Music and the Night Time Economy John Graham said.
“Government can’t do this alone. This puts the industry at the table as equal partners."
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The NSW live music scene has received some promising news with confirmation that the Upper House last night voted to include an industry roundtable in the retabled Music Festival Bill.
The news comes after promoters of some of the state's biggest music festivals, including Splendour In The Grass and Laneway, threatened to take their events out of NSW.
“Regulating festivals without talking to the industry is simply dangerous,” Shadow Minister for Music and the Night Time Economy, John Graham, said.
“We are calling on the Premier to accept these amendments, and get this in place in time for summer.
“This roundtable has been supported by a Parliamentary inquiry, the Deputy Coroner’s report, the Counsel Assisting the Ice Commissioner, the Police Commissioner, and government agencies including Liquor and Gaming and NSW Health.”
“The Government should support it too.”
