The Victorian Greens have called on the state Labor Government to protect live music venues from insurance hikes by providing insurance through the state’s public insurer.
According to the Greens, struggling venues in the state accessing affordable insurance through the government’s public insurer would give music venues a “lifeline” as punters face a cost-of-living crisis and save for large international tours, making them pickier when it comes to attending smaller shows.
In a statement, Victorian Greens arts spokesperson Gabrielle de Vietri commented that “unreasonable and arbitrary insurance price hikes” would lead to more music venues closing their doors after Melbourne institutions, including the Bendigo Hotel and Ferdydurke, are preparing to close their doors.
Through conversations with venue owners in her electorate, De Vietri also cites The Old Bar, The Night Cat, and the recently saved The Tote as struggling venues.
The Greens recently started a petition to “Save Live Music in Victoria” that has amassed hundreds of signatures—you can find out more about that here.
De Vietri said that the state government can support the live music industry by providing cheaper insurance through the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA), like it did with the construction industry in 2021.
“Live music is part of Melbourne’s beating heart,” de Vietri commented in a press release.
“Losing Melbourne’s iconic live music scene would hollow out our culture. What would we be without Cash Savage, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, or Courtney Barnett?”
De Vietri argues that things don’t “have to be this way—our government could provide a lifeline to these venues by providing cheaper insurance.”
Referring to Music Victoria’s recently announced Live Music Festivals Fund, de Vietri continued, “Instead, they’re proposing short-term, band-aid solutions that won’t provide the security the live music scene needs.
“With the State Budget around the corner, the Greens are calling on Labor to save live music in Victoria before it’s too late.”
Last month, The Bendigo Hotel owners announced that the venue would stop trading. They were forced to close the business, citing financial stresses.
“Despite our team’s tireless dedication and unwavering perseverance, we’ve come to a point where we’ve explored every avenue to keep the Bendi going,” a statement posted to social media reads. “The financial burden on our business and personal front has been immense, leaving us with no choice but to stop trading. Sadly, we are forced to sell our business to settle our debts.”
