Victorian Government Relaxes Licensing Fees and Requirements For Live Music Venues

RE-ENACTING the famous AC/DC video It’s a Long Way to the Top If You Want to Rock & Roll – more than 20,000 music fans protested around a truck up Melbourne’s Swanston Street yesterday, asking for a fairer deal for the city’s large live music scene.

In a bid to tackle growing alcohol fuelled violence on the streets, the government recently increased licensing fees and extra security requirements for venues that provide live music.

The decision resulted in a flurry of pubs being put to the market, with others – including Collingwood’s popular Tote – closing their doors.

But now, the ALP has backflipped in an 11th hour reprieve that relaxes the laws.

The new Live Music Accord gives individual venues more discretion to organise their security. The agreement will be reviewed in February 2011.

Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson said licensees will still be expected to maintain safe venues but crowd control laws will not be automatically applied to new live music venues, unless mandated by planning approvals, breach of liquor licence laws or police recommendation.