News : Melbourne music rally inspires other states to act

Respected Australian music business website TheMusic.com.au reports that the SLAM Rally held in Melbourne last month (report) is inspiring other states to defend their own live music culture.

If 20,000 people can walk through the streets of Melbourne protesting government policies affecting live music venues, how about Brisbane? Brisbane lobby group Queensland Locked Out (QLO) is calling a rally on March 11 outside the gates of Parliament. It will protest the state government’s move to “fix” the agro problem in the entertainment precinct by reducing the hours venues can be open. This will affect the venues and cost jobs. Rally organizer Zach Salar says alternatives as harsher penalties towards violent drunks, increasing police numbers n the entertainment strips and ID scanners in clubs are better. See (www.queenslandlockedout.com).

The website also writes regarding the protest in Melbourne…

As predicted here, 20,000 people marched, closing traffic down like we were all in a U2 video. We could have done without the flippant placards as “Free Colin Hay” and people handing out flyers for their own gigs. But the statement was made, and the Government will have to respond to it, or find the music biz actively campaigning against it at the next state election. The recreation of the AC/DC clip was a stroke of genius: it gained the rally worldwide coverage. It’s also inspired other cities: Brisbane is holding one this month after the Qld government cut back opening hours for live music venues. Meantime, Perth, Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast are also experiencing venue problems.

Incidentally, what does mean for the Tote? Former owner Bruce Milne told the ABC last week, “I can’t reopen it but it does make it possible now for someone else to look at the business and make a success of it whereas people who had looked at the business before and said you can’t run it as The Tote and make a profit.”