NSW parliamentary report recommends a ‘Minister for Music’ to fix state’s music scene
A report into the state of the music and arts economy in NSW has recommended the Premier appoint a “Minister for Music” as the top priority to fix the state’s music scene.
Project Sydney
Don't miss out on the headlines from Project Sydney. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A scathing report into the state of the music and arts economy in NSW has recommended the Premier appoint a “Minister for Music” as the top priority to fix the state’s night time economy and music scene which is “slowly disintegrating”.
It’s one of 60 recommendations made in the 331-page parliamentary report, which found the state is in the midst of a live music venue “crisis” with hundreds of venues shutting down partly due to archaic rules that ban disco balls or musicians from performing rock and roll.
“This situation is having a devastating effect on career pathways for young musicians, destroying the touring network, adversely affecting Sydney’s cultural reputation, and taking a toll on visitor experiences,” said committee chair Paul Green MLC.
His committee have recommended Premier Gladys Berejiklian appoint a Minister for Music, Arts and Culture that could either exist as a portfolio in its own right or replace the Minister for the Arts job.
They’re also pushing the NSW government to “review and amend” liquor laws to remove ridiculous restrictions placed on live music venues.
“It turns out we are banning mirror balls, we are regulating the number of musicians who take the stage in venues, the instruments they use, even the direction in which they face — well it has to stop,” said Labor MLC John Graham.
It comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed venues labouring under often decades-old licence conditions will be able to apply to Liquor & Gaming NSW to have restrictions removed for free during a three-month blitz.
However, Night Time Industries Association chair Michael Rodrigues said this would make operators nervous because the agency may use it as an opportunity to put new conditions on their licence.
“That has been the practice in the past,” he said.
Sydney-based DJ-producer Kristy Lee Peters or KLP said the report made her feel “optimistic about the possibilities of not only being a musician in NSW but just being a resident”.
“It’s been a pretty frustrating and heartbreaking time for musicians in NSW,” she said.
Hoodoo Gurus lead singer Dave Faulkner said: “We need people to streamline things so that we can do what we do properly”.
The report also identified “massive potential” for the music sector in NSW and found there was “no research available that suggested that music causes violence”.
Angelina looks to space for design inspiration
Hundreds of NSW primary school children entered The Daily Telegraph’s competition to design Sydney’s next great building but Angelina El Malouf’s observatory and space museum was out of this world.
Sydney college to rival the best
Aspiring croupiers, cocktail bartenders and even butlers will be trained to compete with the world’s best at Sydney’s newest hospitality training college when it opens in March.