Can Australian Music Survive in the Age of Spotify?
The ALMBC has lodged a formal submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics inquiry into the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Bill 2026. The Bill, introduced on 1 April 2026 and slated to commence on 1 July 2027, amends the Australian Consumer Law to introduce a general prohibition on unfair trading practices, stronger drip pricing disclosure requirements, and new subscription contract obligations.
The ALMBC strongly supports the Bill’s passage. Our submission focuses on five key areas: hidden fees in ticketing, dynamic pricing, forced account creation, unfair contracting practices affecting artists and small business contractors, and the urgent need to extend unfair trading protections to small businesses.
The live music industry is full of sole traders and micro-businesses who face the same power imbalances as individual consumers, and the Bill as currently drafted leaves them without equivalent protection.
