Young Australians could enjoy discounted or free tickets to attend live music gigs and festivals under new recommendations from an inquiry into Australia’s struggling live music sector.
On Friday, the House of Representatives inquiry tabled their report — titled ‘Am I Ever Gonna See You Live Again?’ in a cheeky nod to Aussie rock classic “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?” by The Angels — looking into challenges and opportunities within the live music industry.
It had 20 recommendations for lawmakers following inputs from nearly 130 submissions and numerous public hearings. This included submissions from musicians and DJs, researchers, and festivals like Laneway and Lost Paradise.
Here, we break down the key things to know.
What were the report’s recommendations?
In what will be pretty good news for most of us, the report proposed to finally tackle those pesky fees and charges by amending Australian consumer law to improve price transparency and — amen to this — limiting extreme variability in ticket prices caused by ‘dynamic pricing’.
It suggested a small levy be added to the price of tickets to large music events with these funds directed towards small venues and grassroots live music, and an obligation for major international tours (think Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and other global stars) to include Aussie supporting acts as a condition of approval.
In terms of addressing how to incentivise young Australians to head out and support live music, the report proposed rebates or vouchers for young music fans to be borne by the government in partnership with states and territories. Particularly, it suggested prioritising teenagers up to those in their early 30s, which is the demographic “in most significant decline amongst live music audiences”.
Were you one of the few to not line up for this one? (Image: Henry Wu)
Another interesting idea is the possible development of dedicated and permanent outdoor live music spaces (such as sound shells and associated equipment and infrastructure) as well as supporting live music event-related training programs for young people.
Streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music weren’t exempt from the review either, with one key recommendation that the government work with music streaming services “to increase the proportion of Australian content that algorithms or automated playlists generate for Australian users”. And if that’s a no-go, it proposed legislation “be strongly considered” to mandate and enforce higher proportions of Australian music on these services.
Police presence at live gigs and music festivals could change too, if the recommendations are adopted, with a possible re-evaluation of the need for large police presences at live music events and the use of sniffer dogs and strip-searches.
The report also recommended state and territory governments consider a reduction or abolition of user-pays policing charges at music festivals.
The almost year-long inquiry looked at key concerns facing the live music sector, including increased costs and risks of doing business, unpredictable ticket sales, and artists and venues struggling to make money and attract audiences.
According to the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), around half (49 per cent) of musicians earned less than $6,000 per year and many had other jobs to supplement their income.
The inquiry found that, since Covid, about 1,300 live music venues have been lost and nightclub attendance is almost half pre-pandemic levels.
Additionally, just half of Australia’s music festivals have made profits post-Covid, with a median profit of around $730,000. Meanwhile, almost a quarter lost money, with a median loss of around $470,000.
Since 2020, approximately 1,300 live music venues have been lost. Nightclub attendance has also been on the downswing at almost half pre-pandemic levels, as reported by The Guardian.
“The inquiry has demonstrated the value live music in Australia and highlighted how urgent action is necessary to ensure its survival into the future,” noted chair Brian Mitchell MP in the report.
“While the Committee heard a range of views during the inquiry, the evidence about live music’s challenges were often similar. In summary, after disruptions and cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic, live music venues, festivals and events have struggled to recover.”
If you’re keen to peep the full list of recommendations, you can check it out here.
Lead image: Getty Images
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