More than 100,000 people have signed a change.org petition in response to the NSW Government‘s apparent war on live music.
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The Don’t Kill Live Music petition comes after the cancellation and downsizing of multiple festivals including Mountain Sounds. Seven days out from the event, organisers suddenly announced the cancellation after they were told they had to pay “an additional upfront amount of approximately $200,000 for 45 user pay police on a 24 hour cycle.”
“We, like many of you, have seen the festival climate continue to diminish in Australia. NSW in particular is in dire straits. This is yet another example of the government’s war on festivals,” Mountain Sounds wrote on Facebook.
Many now fear Byron Bay‘s Bluesfest could up and leave NSW especially as new festival regulations will be introduced in March. In a message to music festival operators, the NSW Government said the new licensing scheme will not impact all music festivals but require “ill-equipped operators to lift their standard to make all musical festivals safer.”
On Instagram, Don’t Kill Live Music celebrated the achievement but acknowledged they “still have a long way to go” and encouraged people to attend their Sydney rally come Thursday, February 21 at Sydney‘s Hyde Park.
The rally will kick off from 6:00pm.
“You music is under attack,” the campaign declared in an open letter to punters.
The State Government has declared war on music and culture in NSW, proclaiming that music, and music festivals are high-risk activities.
Instead of consulting with festival experts, the NSW Government imposed punitive regulation that specifically targets music festivals and music fans. Festivals are being used as a scapegoat for years of failed drug and alcohol policy.
At the time of writing, almost 103,000 people have signed the petition.
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The petition has gained support from Aussie artists like Amy Shark, Flight Facilities, Cosmos Midnight, Bernard Fanning, Hockey Dad, Courtney Barnett, Hayden James, Ocean Alley, Jack River and festivals including Splendour In The Grass, Laneway, Subsonic, Listen Out, and Falls Festival.
Following the cancellation of the Mountain Sounds Festival, Peking Duk slammed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in a scorching post which encouraged punters to vote the Liberals out at the March 23 state election.
