Music education, extended outdoor dining options and a Special Entertainment Precinct in Newcastle are among Labor's key promises for the area.
"Venues will not just survive, but will thrive," opposition spokesperson for music and the night time economy John Graham said when unveiling the party's plans for the city should it win next month's state election.
Labor will create the entertainment precinct in a bid to protect the city's iconic venues, with the City of Newcastle to determine the exact location. Noise levels at zoned venues will not be governed by the Liquor Act and will instead go through the council.
Labor's Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said this was "welcome news here in Newcastle".
"There are seven different government agencies you can complain to about noise. Now, that is way too much red tape," he said. "It's inefficient in terms of regulation ... an entertainment precinct will certainly help with that."
While it's unclear exactly what the proposal would mean for residents in the entertainment precincts, Mr Graham said Labor will continue to work with the council to find a suitable "balance".
"[We want to] manage the conflict between residents and venues and make sure that it isn't a practical problem," he said.
There's currently one trial for a precinct in place along Sydney's Enmore Road, which is set to end in July this year.
Labor has also promised to support even our youngest performers, vowing to reform music education across the state.
The party aims to survey primary schools to see "what is going on on the ground at the moment", before initiating a parliamentary inquiry into music education to determine how it can be better implemented, Mr Graham said.
"[We want] to put music education at the heart of our education system," he said. "That of course is the goal we're aiming for."
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Join the discussion in the comment section below.
