Australian Labor Party “Soundtrack Australia” Policy Launch | Friday 30 November 2018 | Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney

[Speech TRANSCRIPT]

The following speech was delivered as an industry response to the Federal Labor policy announcement to invest in Australian music.

Australian artists are surrounded by thousands of managers, marketers, publicists, agents, promoters, venues, production & merchandise companies, educators, publishers, distributors and record labels – enterprises comprising multi-national companies, collection societies, not-for-profit organisations and thousands of Australian owned small businesses. Collectively we are facilitators of cultural production and passionate champions for Australian music.

Working in the music industry informs our very identity, Australian music is not only WHAT we do but fundamentally a huge part of WHO we are.

I started working in the music industry in July 1992. An oppressive right-wing state regime was at our backs, Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana reigned on CD players at backyard parties and a clutch of promoters, agents, managers and indie labels started from scratch in Brisbane, Queensland – ironically right in the middle of the ‘recession we had to have’.

In 1994 it was former Qld Labor Premier, the late Wayne Goss, who first backed the music industry with an investment of $40,000 for the formation of the Qld Music Network – 24 years later QMusic forges Australian music ahead globally with their annual BIGSOUND conference and festival.

“From little things big things grow . . .” (Kev Carmody & Paul Kelly)

For decades there has been at best adhoc support for contemporary music, and at worst no policies nor strategic investment into the broad church that is the Australian Music Industry.

We acknowledge and recognise the advocacy of the organisations with the resources to do so – thank you for your work Dean Ormston at APRA AMCOS and Dan Rosen at ARIA.

The music industry has endured decades of change, disruption and upheaval. We are only 5 minutes in to what is being called the ‘4th Industrial Revolution’ and that holds challenges and opportunities for contemporary music. We need strong federal policy to reach our potential and for Australian music to thrive.

I speak today, as the Executive Director of the Association of Artist Managers (the AAM) and on behalf of approx. 300 artist managers, managing thousands of bands and individual musicians. A personal thanks to our Patrons John Watson, Michael McMartin, Bill Cullen and Catherine Haridy for being tireless champions for artist managers and acknowledge the board and members in the room today.

Australian artist managers, with their artists, are CEO’s of the music business. Managers sweat it out daily at the frontline of a highly complex industry. With little support or investment managers have survived, adapted with agility, resourcefulness and Australian ingenuity.

Managers DO matter. Policies and funding support for the AAM, and its programs, will ensure we can continue to protect, promote and develop Australian artist managers. We know this funding commitment will build better managers – and when you build better managers you have more successful artists. Success that can look many different ways – in their ability to make a living, sustain creativity, tell stories, maintain their health and wellbeing and provide positive social impacts for the Australian community.

At this point I would like to share a quote from the late Mandawuy Yunupingu of Yothu Yindi . . . “Making money can be one thing. Building bridges can be the other one.”

Music is most profoundly about connection.

Music is for everyone.

Music heals & nurtures and music education is vital.

Music innovates and inspires.

Music is FUN!

A transparent, consultative and intelligent approach to this funding commitment is required by ALL stakeholders.

The music industry must engage holistically at a long, inclusive table with government. To not be silent about the hard topics. To work collaboratively and transparently. To sit around a table that also values respect, safety, inclusion and diversity. A table with the integrity and courage to ensure inclusive policies and equity of access to music making in schools, removing barriers to participation in low socio-economic, regional and remote areas. A table that asks who is NOT around it? Making space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, voices from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those less able bodied or with health challenges and people of all sexual orientations and genders.

The Australian Music Industry applauds the Labor Party for being curious about us – asking, listening and learning.

Labor’s recognition of the spectrum of economic, cultural and social benefits of a thriving music ecosystem deserve to be celebrated and supported at the next election. Most importantly we thank you for being passionate music fans and taking action to get behind Australian music and like all of us, work together for our music to be the soundtrack to life in Australia.

Leanne de Souza is the Executive Director of the Association of Artist Managers (AAM)

Pictured here backstage st Oxford Arts Factory with : Charlie Collins ; Alex the Astronaut and Sarah McLeod

Further Information: http://www.billshorten.com.au/_labor_will_turn_the_volume_up_on_australian_music_friday_30_november_2018