1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Already and this is the Daily This is the Daily OAHs. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Oh now it makes sense. 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Wednesday, 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 2: the tenth of April. I'm Sam, I'm Billy. Yesterday the 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 2: National Arts Council, called Creative Australia, presented its landmark report 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: into the state of Australia's music festivals and unfortunately it's 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,919 Speaker 2: not good news. Over a third of Australian music festivals 8 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: lost money last year, losing almost eight hundred thousand dollars 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: on average. The cost of putting on a festival has 10 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 2: rapidly increased, it's harder for festivals to get insurance, and 11 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 2: people are buying tickets closer to the time of the 12 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: festival now. Creative Australia said impacts from the pandemic have 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: seen many popular festivals canceled or downscaled, resulting in multimillion 14 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 2: dollar losses for organizers and promoters. In today's podcast, we're 15 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: going to talk to Mitch Wilson. They're the managing director 16 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 2: of the Australian Festivals Association and was at the launch 17 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: of the report yesterday. Before we get to that chat, Billy, 18 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: what is making headlines this morning? 19 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: The Northern Territory government has extended a curfew for young 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: people in Alice Springs by an additional six days. It 21 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 1: comes after an initial two week curfew for under eighteen 22 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: year olds in the region was announced last month and 23 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: mid concerns about growing violence and unrest. It will now 24 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: continue until six am Tuesday, sixteenth of April, meaning the 25 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: curfew will cover the entire school holiday period. And we 26 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: have done a podcast on that, so if you want 27 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: more information about that, we will link it in the 28 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: show notes. 29 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: A new report has found job seeker payments are not 30 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 2: high enough to cover living expenses. Data from Anglicare Australia 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 2: shows low income households are worst affected by inflation. It 32 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 2: said more than seventy percent of spending by the bottom 33 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: fifth of income earners in twenty five twenty three was 34 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: on essential items. Anglicare said Senselink payments were far too low. 35 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: Last month was the world's hottest March on record. According 36 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: to the European Union's Climate Change Service. It marks the 37 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: tenth consecutive month of record breaking temperatures. March was one 38 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: point sixty eight degrees warmer than estimated pre industrial temperatures. 39 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: The global average temperature for the twelve months leading up 40 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: to March was also at its highest on record. 41 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: And today's good news, Beyonce has become the first black 42 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: woman to take the number one spot in the country 43 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: charts for her album Cowboy Krter. It's also her eighth 44 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: album to top the overall Billboard two hundred album charts. 45 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: The singer has also sold the most vinyls of her 46 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 2: career so far, with sixty two thousand Cowboy Carter vinyl 47 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: copies sold in the first week of the album's release. 48 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 3: Hey there, I'm just popping in here. My name is 49 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 3: Sira and I'm the sales manager at TDA. I help 50 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 3: organize the sponsorships you hear on the podcast every day 51 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 3: and that helps fund the journalism you hear. If you 52 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 3: want to support us, the best way to do that 53 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 3: is by clicking follow on Apple or Spotify. It really 54 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 3: helps new audiences find us. Thank you for your support, 55 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 3: and now back to the deep dive. 56 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: Sam. Before we get into this chat, I think it 57 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: would be helpful for the listeners to know that you 58 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: absolutely love music festivals. You go to one probably once 59 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: a month. 60 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: Why is that, Billy? I absolutely love them and they've 61 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: been some of the most special times for me over 62 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: the years. You know, I've discovered new artists, I've discovered 63 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: new parts of Australia. It's the best and I know 64 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: a lot of young people feel the same way. But 65 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: there's a lot of really serious issues facing the music 66 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: festival industry and that's why this chat with Mitch was 67 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: so important to have on the podcast. The new report 68 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: came out yesterday, I broke it down with Mitch. Here's 69 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 2: that chat, Mitch. Thanks for joining us on the Daily OS. 70 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 2: The report's just come out. Tell me where you are, 71 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 2: how you're feeling, and what your days look like today. 72 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 4: I am in Sydney. It's extremely wet and indicative of 73 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 4: sort of I think how a number of people in 74 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 4: the music industry have been feeling a bit disheveled, a 75 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 4: bit all over the place. But yeah, I think the 76 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 4: report is extremely helpful for us to be able to 77 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 4: quantify map this music festival sector in the country because 78 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 4: we haven't had a national piece of research before. We've 79 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 4: been advocating for this and managed to get it in 80 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 4: the National Cultural Policy, which we were super excited to see, 81 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 4: and I think it's getting released at the most optimal time. 82 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 4: So we see it as the basis for even more 83 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 4: research into music festivals across the country, and super excited 84 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 4: to have it out there and to hear everyone's reactions 85 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 4: and for you to all see it. 86 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 2: I want to start with a bit of a philosophical 87 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 2: question for you. Why are music festivals so important? 88 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 4: Oh? I think music festivals are hugely important. Everyone loves 89 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 4: hanging out with their mates, going away together, you know, 90 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 4: get out of town, switch off, particularly these days, and 91 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 4: enjoy some music. I think, you know, out of all 92 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 4: the art forms that people engage with, music as the highest, 93 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 4: so it's unsurprising that festivals are such a draw card 94 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 4: for people in the past. 95 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 2: We're going to get to this a bit later in 96 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 2: the discussion, but I kind of feel like it's the 97 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 2: right place for this question. Is it important enough to 98 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 2: a society that governments should be supporting them financially? 99 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 4: I think government definitely needs to be at the table 100 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 4: at the moment. We've seen such huge impacts into music 101 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 4: festivals these past few years. It's not just the pandemic 102 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 4: and lockdowns. It was prior to that. We saw the 103 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 4: Black Summer bushfires cancel a number of events. We've seen 104 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 4: le Nina and wet weather impact events. Since then, we 105 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 4: just haven't had the opportunity to really fully recover from 106 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 4: those ongoing impacts. And the economic impact and the benefits 107 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 4: to communities, particularly in regional areas across the country are huge. 108 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 4: And for similar industries that have those impacts, whether it's 109 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 4: you know, mining, agriculture, that have as great a sort 110 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 4: of economic impacts in some of these regional communities. For 111 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 4: some reason, we're just not seen on the same you 112 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 4: know pedestal and previously festivals and cross contemporary music haven't 113 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 4: really gone to government for support. It's only in these 114 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 4: past few years that we've needed that support. And why 115 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 4: we're asking for actually just time limited, short term funding 116 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 4: to weather the immediate challenges which have been largely out 117 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 4: of our control since the pandemic and you know, supply 118 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 4: chain issues. 119 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 2: And those details were abundantly clear in yesterday's release of 120 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 2: a report from Creative Australia. It's said that of the 121 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 2: five hundred and thirty five music festivals in Australia in 122 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 2: twenty two to twenty three, thirty five percent of them 123 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: lost money. Is something happening on that supply side that's 124 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: outweighing because people are still going to music festivals, right, 125 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: so are they just becoming more expensive to produce? 126 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 4: Some of our festivals have had their highest attendance numbers 127 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 4: on record, but they're making less and less money. And 128 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,679 Speaker 4: we've seen examples of some of our members events selling 129 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 4: out the last six months and they didn't make any 130 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 4: money because they're just covering costs. We've seen costs up 131 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 4: thirty to forty percent on every single line item. When 132 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 4: it comes to insurance, it's even greater than that. 133 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 2: I just want to jump in here because that's a 134 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 2: little bit of kind of confusing industry speak, So let's 135 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 2: go through that together. Basically, what Minch is talking about 136 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 2: there is how much it costs music festivals to take 137 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 2: out an insurance policy which they can then activate in 138 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: case something goes wrong. And as we've seen an increase 139 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: in the number of festivals affected by wild weather or 140 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: by some economic variable factors, the cost of getting that 141 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 2: insurance has gone up, and it's gone up in some 142 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: cases to such a high extent that it actually is 143 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: becoming harder for music festivals to pay for the policy 144 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 2: before they have the revenue from ticket sales. 145 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 4: And ticket prices just can't be raised at the same 146 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 4: rate to meet those costs, So the margins are super tight, 147 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 4: and you're seeing those examples of nearly having to sell 148 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:29,119 Speaker 4: out just to break either. 149 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 2: So why do you think then we're getting to a 150 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: point where people don't want to spend more and more 151 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 2: money on the experience because I think there's an understanding 152 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 2: that the supply costs are going up. Are we hitting 153 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 2: that ceiling of young people are just not going to 154 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 2: fork out another one hundred dollars on top of the 155 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 2: ticket price. 156 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 4: Well, like, we haven't seen ticket prices go up as 157 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 4: much as the costs have gone up. I just want 158 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 4: to make that clear up front. But yeah, I think 159 00:08:56,040 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 4: cost of living pressures are hitting everyone and renting increases, 160 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,560 Speaker 4: particularly amongst young people. I think the data out of 161 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 4: the report that we find most concerning is that the 162 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 4: eighteen to twenty four year old age group is not 163 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 4: the largest demographic when it comes to ticket purchases for 164 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 4: music vestvals anymore. They consistently have been, and we're now 165 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 4: seeing them drop down below the twenty five to twenty 166 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 4: nine year old age group, and that has a huge 167 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 4: flow on effect to that ongoing platline of an audience 168 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 4: and also locking in music lovers from you know, when 169 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 4: they're sort of finishing school and able to go to 170 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 4: live music, to be live music and festival attendees for 171 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 4: decades after that. 172 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 2: Is there an argument to be made though, that just 173 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 2: the habits and trends amongst that eighteen to twenty four 174 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 2: year old cohort have changed and moved away from festivals 175 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 2: and towards the Taylor Swifts, the fread Again's the kind 176 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:50,239 Speaker 2: of megators. 177 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 4: Well, I think from an artist's perspective, we're seeing a 178 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 4: lot of those big name headline artists see that a 179 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 4: stadium show or arena show just for themselves is more 180 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 4: of a financial incentive and that's having a flow on 181 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 4: effect of festival lineups. And I think, yeah, we don't 182 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 4: fully understand the changes in what young people are looking 183 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 4: for from their life music experiences at the moment. I 184 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 4: think there's a lot of impacts from COVID times lockdown. 185 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 4: A lot of you know, eighteen to twenty four year 186 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 4: olds we're talking about finishing high school, starting UNI in 187 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 4: lockdown on Zoom, not going to these sort of formative 188 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 4: cultural experiences, going away with your mates for a weekend, 189 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 4: and I think the costs are also having an impact 190 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 4: where anecdotally hearing that as much as Taylor's with costs, 191 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 4: it's actually, you know, less of a cost than some 192 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 4: of the multi day music festivals, but you're getting one 193 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 4: artist or two with the support rather than in some 194 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:54,199 Speaker 4: cases hundreds. 195 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 2: So you're representing festivals when you go and have these 196 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 2: discussions with government, and that's both on the state and 197 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 2: a federal level. How's government receiving the requests of your industry. 198 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 4: Well, we had a big meeting with the federal government yesterday, 199 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 4: so Creative Australia, the Arts Agency convened the meeting of 200 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 4: festival promoters as well as US as the Peak Body. 201 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 4: So I think the news of the cancelations and with 202 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 4: this research coming out and the findings within that, there 203 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 4: has been an understanding of the pressures. I think given 204 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 4: the range of things we've discussed today, they're also trying 205 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 4: to grapple with what the challenges are and what their 206 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 4: role might be. I think what was quite forcefully put 207 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 4: by a number of festival organizers yesterday was that the 208 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 4: federal government has a role to play in the insurance industry. 209 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 4: The Federal Government needs to be at the table when 210 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 4: we're having discussions around changes to the insurance offerings to festivals, 211 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 4: because there's essentially bordering on market collabse premiums are through 212 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 4: the roof and it really keeps having a flow on 213 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 4: impact to an organizer deciding whether or not, you know, 214 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 4: if they don't get that huge ticket buying when they 215 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 4: go on sale, whether they hold off and sort of 216 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 4: take the risk of seeing whether they'll sell those tickets 217 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 4: before the event, or do they sort of pull the 218 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 4: pin early because they know they might be up for 219 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 4: in some places tens of millions of dollars in losses 220 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 4: and if they don't have insurance, that obviously has a 221 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 4: big impact on their decision making. 222 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 2: One more question from me, Mitch, you're in these rooms, 223 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 2: many would argue you're talking on behalf of young Australians 224 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 2: here trying to establish a future for the festival industry. 225 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 2: What points are you finding resonate the best with government 226 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 2: and with let's say, you know, it's not a nice 227 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 2: way to say, but let's say people outside the target 228 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 2: demographic of going to a festival. Is it the point 229 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 2: about how important these are economically for regional communities? For 230 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 2: industry or is it what we started this discussion with 231 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 2: about how important festivals are to the cultural fabric. 232 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 4: Both factors work for governments, and I think the combination 233 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 4: of the two is literally what is convincing people. It's 234 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 4: not just that you know, their formative experience for young 235 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 4: people to enjoy time with their mates and you know 236 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 4: their identity building they were for me. I think the 237 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 4: cancelations have crystallized their potential loss of the benefits of 238 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 4: the economic impacts on regional communities. I think it has 239 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 4: really sort of focused the minds of government. You know, 240 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 4: the report released yesterday outlines five hundred and thirty five 241 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 4: festivals across the country. It's a huge spread of events 242 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 4: across the country that if we start to see more cancelations, 243 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 4: it's going to have a huge one on effect. And 244 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 4: I guess the other thing is it's not just about 245 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 4: the audience of going to festivals, and it's not just 246 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 4: about our members the people putting on the events. We're 247 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 4: seeing Australian artists struggle to make it in the globalized 248 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 4: English speaking music market. They're fighting against you know, really 249 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 4: powerful algorithms on streaming services and nobody sort of quite 250 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 4: understood how to really get their break, and the importance 251 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 4: of both radio and festivals for Australian artists is even 252 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 4: larger because of that difficulty in making their break in 253 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 4: this sort of globalized music market. So I think we've 254 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 4: seen a number of examples of Australian artists talking about, 255 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 4: you know, the impact that getting on a stage enabled 256 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 4: them to develop their audience here and actually give them, 257 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 4: you know, a following that then they were able to 258 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 4: use to get a record deal or to be able 259 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 4: to tour overseas. And I think that's the piece that 260 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 4: we in the music industry like, We really see it 261 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 4: as an ecosystem and if you see festivals falling over 262 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 4: it could have a huge flow on impact to the 263 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 4: broader Australian music industry and artists. 264 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: Mitche Wilson, thanks so much for joining us in the 265 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 2: Daily Odds today. 266 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast of 267 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: the Daily Os. I thought that was an absolutely fascinating chat. 268 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: If you would like to hear more from us, you 269 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: can follow on Spotify or Apple. As well as getting 270 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: it into your feet every morning, it also really helps 271 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: the Daily Ods grow and helps new audiences find us 272 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: thank you so much and we will be back tomorrow. 273 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 2: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Adunda 274 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 2: Bungelung Calcoton woman from Gadighl country. 275 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: The Daily oz acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on 276 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: the lands of the Gadighl people and pays respect to 277 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: all Aboriginal and Torres Strait island and nations. We pay 278 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: our respects to the first peoples of these countries, both 279 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: past and present.