Australasia News: NSW Promises Venue-Protecting Reforms; Festival Pill-Testing Greenlit

AUSTRALIA

New NSW Gov’t Reforms To Protect Small Venues

The New South Wales government introduced a series of reforms to protect the state’s 795 music showcasing venues. The most important was protection from noise complaints from residents.

Effective in July, they will be favored in instances when new residents move into neighborhoods with existing venues, and then protest.

The number of complaints rises from five to three (not from the same household) before action is taken, and the number of agencies managing complaints dips to one from seven.

“The old NSW sport of moving in next to a music venue and complaining until it gets shut down is now history,” declared John Graham, minister for arts and the night time economy.

The government also through its Soundproofing Grants provided up to A$100,000 (US$57,498) to 21 venues to allow them to book more acts without inconveniencing neighbors. These included the Lansdowne, threatened with closure over the years, Moshpit, Club 77 and Metro Theatre.

Additionally, Live Performance Venue grants provided 56 venues with up to $80,000 ($53,998) for equipment, programming and marketing costs.

Victoria Green-Lights Pill Testing At Festivals

Victoria becomes the third Australian state to green-light the testing of pills at music festivals. There’ll be a AU$4 million ($2.69 million) trial of a mobile site visiting ten festivals over the next two summers to identify the best model to use, after which it becomes permanent.

“This won’t be a trial about the efficacy of drug checking because the evidence is already in,” said mental health minister Ingrid Stitt.

Eleven people were hospitalized for drugs at two Melbourne festivals this summer.

The first test in Australia was in Canberra 2019 at Groovin’ The Moo, but it was fraught with uncertain legalities and doubts over insurance liabilities.

The first in Queensland was in April 2024 at Rabbits Eat Lettuce where two people died five years ago. The state will spend almost AU$1 million ($674, 981) to deliver pill testing services in the next two years.

General Admission Launches Two-Tier Agency

General Admission Entertainment (GAE) has launched a two-tier booking agency division. Artists can opt for a traditional roster or a self-managed service using the company’s network.

Set up 2007 by Gareth Lewis and Aaron Sandow, GAE has run owners, promoted festivals and managed artists, currently running the 500-capacity UniBar Adelaide.

Adelaide Fringe Injects $149K Into Economy

A new report showed that the Adelaide Fringe in March generated $149 million ($100.5 million) for South Australia. Of this, AU$121 million ($81.6 million) came from international and interstate tourists, a six-fold increase from AU$18 million ($12.1 million) ten years ago.

Total box office of AU$27 million ($18.2 million) was not kept by the Fringe but paid out to artists and venues to offset the costs of their shows.

Caloundra Music Axed For Good

Caloundra Music festival on the Sunshine Coast was axed permanently. Local council had funded the event since 2007, as a tourist draw and to showcase local acts. It drew 30,000 and generated AU$3 million ($2 million) for the local economy.

In April, council initially canceled it for 2024 but in its 2024/5 budget confirmed it wouldn’t return. Mayor Rosanna Natoli said, “Rising costs, falling ticket sales and uncertainty in the music festival industry were felt to be too great a risk in the current climate.”

NEW ZEALAND

Summer Concert Series Expands

A new concert series, Timeless Summer Tour, makes it bow in January. Boy George, Little River Band, Bonnie Tyler and Starship featuring Mickey Thomas will play five cities 11 to 19 through Glenn Meikle’s Timeless Live.

Meanwhile, Greenstone Entertainment’s Summer Concert Tour returns for the 15th year January 18 to 26 for three stops featuring Australian bands Cold Chisel and Icehouse, NZ singer-songwriter Bic Runga and US act Everclear.