Greens to keep Aussie festivals rocking

THE Greens have announced a plan to invest $20 million a year to help revitalise and sustain Australia’s festival scene, unveiling the proposal over the weekend at Bluesfest.

The funding is part of the party’s $200 million annual commitment to the arts and would be directed toward the development of on-site infrastructure at festivals across the country.

The proposal also includes funding for a review into the insurance crisis affecting the live music industry. The review would investigate the current market failure and explore the feasibility of a government-backed insurance scheme to protect festivals and live events.

The Greens are also advocating for tax incentives to bolster the live performance sector. These include a 10 per cent tax offset for venues that host live music, and a 50 per cent tax offset to help cover touring artists’ travel expenses.

“Our festivals are in crisis,” Greens arts spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Over the past few years we have seen the cancellation after cancellation of loved and iconic festivals. It’s clear that the government needs to step in to help the industry.

“The Greens plan for supporting our festivals takes a holistic view of what the sector needs.”

Greens candidate for Richmond, Mandy Nolan, emphasised the economic and cultural importance of events like Bluesfest to regional areas.

“We are one of the top regions in the country for cultural tourism,” she said.

“Bluesfest was close to selling out this year and this delivers a huge injection into everything from hospitality, retail and our local arts scene.

“With almost 5000 arts workers in the Northern Rivers region, the arts are important to our economy, identity and culture.”