Gudinski Lashes Out At Government

The first was at a Nov. 15 Q&A session at Melbourne’s Face The Music conference where he and his son, Mushroom Group executive director Matt, discussed their future plans.

Asked what held Australian music back, he replied, “The fucking government, straight out. If you want to support artists, you need money … Australia needs to support its own.”

He challenged the government to increase its funding, comparing the A$5 million ($4.7 million) budget for funding body the Australia Council with Ontario’s $45 million over three years.

He added, “It’s a disgrace there’s not a fucking Australian artist playing a 15-minute performance before every international show.”

Gudinski repeated the challenge at the Nov. 18 launch of the Music Melbourne & Me: 40 Years Of Mushroom And Melbourne’s Music Culture exhibition.

It celebrated 40 years of Gudinski’s Mushroom Records as well as the growth of Melbourne music.

The interactive exhibition included photos, videos and props from acts including Split Enz, Kylie Minogue, AC/DC, Little River Band and Crowded House, songs by local artists blaring from a jukebox, a recreation of Gudinski’s office, talks covering celebrity cult, fashion and nostalgia, and screenings of movies about the 1970 Sunbury festival and Richard Lowenstein’s “Dogs In Space,” set in 1978 Melbourne, which starred the late INXS singer Michael Hutchence.