Tasmania pitches 50% live music rebate for pubs and clubs
The Tasmanian government has proposed a scheme that would pay pubs and clubs back half of what they spend on live music, in a move that could set a national precedent for venue support.
Acting Premier Bridget Archer will write to the federal government pitching a Tasmanian Live Music Excise Rebate Pilot, which would give participating venues a rebate worth 50 per cent of their verified spending on live performers and related costs. The more a venue invests in live music, the more support it receives.
“This initiative would support the hospitality industry and back Tasmania’s live music scene,” Archer said. “Tasmanians love live music and they love their local pub – this proposal is about supporting both.”
The announcement lands at a tough moment for Hobart’s live scene. It comes just days after the Pub Banc Group collapsed into voluntary administration, forcing the immediate closure of seven venues – including the Republic Bar, one of the city’s most loved live music rooms – and leaving more than 80 staff without work.
Director Ian Vaughan pointed to rising food, beverage, utility and insurance costs, along with shifting spending habits – pressures that will sound all too familiar to venue operators around the country.
For the live music business community, the rebate model is one to watch. Tying support directly to what venues actually spend on musicians rewards the operators doing the heavy lifting, and as Archer put it, “more live music means more people through the door, more customers in town, more activity in our regions and more opportunities for local businesses.”
The proposal now sits with the federal government. If it gets up, it could offer a template for every state and territory.
The ALMBC supports more simple, workable answers such as this and is happy to play any role to support these kinds of initiatives.
