West Australian Music Industry Worth Nearly $1B
West Australia’s music industry – which launched the careers of INXS and The Triffids, and more recently, Tame Impala, Troye Sivan, John Butler and Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun – is calling for greater government and private investment after a report estimating it is worth A$1 billion ($754 million) to the state’s economy.
Photo: Owen Sweeney / Invision / AP
Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Pa.
The research, conducted by Perth-based Edith Cowan University for the peak music association WAM (West Australian Music), was the first of its kind for state. It reported the sector created almost 3,000 full-time jobs accounting for wages of A$149 million ($112.3 million). It is also an integral contributor to new employment; with nine new jobs (six jobs in the music industry, and a further three in the broader economy) created for every A$1 million ($754,000) increase in output in the industry.
For every extra dollar invested, the economic benefit more than doubled. WAM’s CEO Mike Harris pointed out, “This means that increased investment in music directly adds to the economy and creates more jobs.”
Given the number of globally recognised acts that emerged from the state, Harris summed up, “The WA contemporary scene is undoubtedly successful but talent also runs deep.”
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