With music festivals struggling to survive in NSW, a new law was passed in NSW parliament this week by Labor: Music Festivals Amendment Act 2024.

New regulatory and financial support for music festivals struggling under the pressure of increasing costs has been announced by the NSW Labor government.

The collapse of Splendour in the Grass before it reached the starting gates has been blamed on a lot of things, including the cost of living, Taylor Swift, the weather, ticket prices, millennial laziness, Kylie Minogue and inadequate government support. The event joins a growing list of major music events to be cancelled. So what do taxpayers owe music festival culture in Australia, if anything?

Local Labor MP Justine Elliot yesterday announced that the Albanese Labor Government is backing local music festivals, delivering $100,000 in funding for Splendour in the Grass under the latest round of the Live Music Australia Program.

Each location has its own special featured acts and for festival-goers in Byron, this includes Tash Sultana, Thundamentals, Cosmo’s Midnight and Concrete Surfers.

North Coast Nationals MLC Ben Franklin has revealed he is at odds with his own Coalition government over the state’s controversial ‘high risk’ festival policy.

Byron Bluesfest director Peter Noble has threatened to move the iconic festival interstate if the Berejiklian government refuses to withdraw its draconian new festival policy.

The state government’s crackdown on drug use at music festivals is likely to have a negative impact on the organisers of these events, including local festivals such as Falls and Splendour in the Grass, the state’s peak body for contemporary music says.