Local music lovers stand up for live music

The drama surrounding the NSW Government’s new policies on music festivals reached as far as Orange with scores of locals taking part in a rally in Robertson Park on Thursday, 21 February.

The rally was called in support of the large Don’t Kill Live Music Rally held in Hyde Park, Sydney, where thousands turned out protest the new regulations that organiser described as ‘onerous and ill-conceived.’

The Orange rally was a more subdued affair, but the local response still showed that the regulations governing festivals deemed ‘high-risk’ have elicited strong feelings from a wide spectrum of the community.

Local Labor candidate Luke Sanger, who was collecting signatures for a petition at the event, described the legislation as ‘all wrong’ and a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ from the government.

“What we did was we held a mini rally in Roberson Park with local musos and live music lovers to try and make a point about this current government trying to kill live music,” said Mr Sanger.

He said there are fears that the legislation could even impact on events in the Central West like Vanfest in Forbes and even the Parkes Elvis Festival.