A coalition of groups representing the live music industry has welcomed the motion in the NSW Upper House to disallow the Berejiklian government’s poorly designed music festival license regulations.
We applaud Labor’s delivery on its promise to move a disallowance motion to enable proper industry consultation on measures to improve safety at music festivals and ensure a bright and sustainable future for music festivals in NSW.
Live Performance Australia, in alliance with the Australian Festival Association and Music NSW, have pledged to continue their campaign for meaningful consultation with industry on festival safety.
The industry want to sit down with the NSW Government and develop a more workable and sensible regulatory approach to safety at festivals. The Government has again been presented with the opportunity to properly consult with industry groups and festival organisers on safety issues.
If Premier Berejiklian is serious about festival safety, she will acknowledge the original regulations were rushed through without industry consultation and only achieved a dramatic increase in costs to festival organisers and fans and forced the cancellation or relocation of events without delivering a meaningful safety improvement.
Music festivals are a vital contributor to the economic and cultural vibrancy of NSW, especially in regional and rural areas. The Premier now has another opportunity to get it right on festival safety. The live music industry also calls on all members of the Upper House to support the motion.
