Small Pubs Want New Law Bounced
News posted Monday, September 21 2009 at 03:00 PM.
Related: .
Melbourne’s small venue operators are outraged by a new regulation that requires security guards to be present at all gigs.
Over the past few weeks, inspectors from Liquor Licensing Victoria have informed venues that security guards must be employed at any pub where live music is being played. The new directive is in response to the escalating levels of alcohol-fuelled violence in the CBD, but has angered small venue operators, who believe that it is being applied too arbitrarily.
A letter to Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson, which has been endorsed by several publicans and circulated widely last week, slams the regulation as an “ill-conceived and a poorly thought out response” that threatens the vibrancy of Melbourne’s live music scene. It argues that small venues, many of whom have no history of violence, cannot afford to hire a bouncer for all live performances.
“Take for example, those small pubs who have been putting on Sunday afternoon music events for years for crowds of around 40 people or so where no violence has ever occurred, and the majority of the crowd over 35 years old. They will now need to employ a security guard,” the letter states. “The profit margins are low here. The pubs are only able to pay bands around $300 dollars per session. A security guard will cost $250. If a security guard is required at all entrances this amount can be doubled.”
The letter goes on to claim that a number of local venues in the North Fitzroy/East Brunswick area have cancelled their resident bands as a result of the new laws. “In one case, a band had been playing on a weekly basis for four years has lost in employment. That residency has now been cancelled and may have a flow-on effect in terms of reducing bar and kitchen staff.”
The letter recommends that the laws should be targeted at larger venues with a history of alcohol-fuelled violence. “Laws that aim to curb violence and drunkenness in big venues need to be targeted towards those venues. A blanket requirement aimed at any venue that has live music fails to acknowledge or consider the … difference in size of the venues and the risks stemming from different crowd capacity.”
Concerns should be addressed to Responsible Alcohol Victoria, liquorregulationsris@justice.vic.gov.au.
+
Geoff Corbett may not be a “heavy drinker with hardcore dependency iss…
– Drones frontman and outdoor pizza oven-maker Gareth Liddiard will pl…
Lost Animal played a 40-minute set list night as part of Melbourne’s P…
I hear the Tote jukebox qualifies as entertainment for the purposes of these rules.
Well don't be playing your acdc cd's anymore.
Ugh, so infuriating. I can not stand Sue McClellan, she is really taking all the fun out of Melbourne.
i want to know why all afl games, the big day out, meredith, golden plains, soundwave and all other huge events that constitute as entertainment dont have to fall within the guidelines of 2 security guards for the first 100 patrons and 1 security guard for every 100 patrons after that?
surely there is a legal case for discrimination here?
what are the stats on fighting within the grounds of the mcg compared to say the old bar?
i think we should all start a class action and have these rules put in place at the mcg etc, and see how long it takes eddie and crew to have them overturned.
Give Slater & Gordon a call, no win - no fee.
its really not a bad idea, if they are not making these rules 'for everyone' like they claim to be then there is clearly an issue. im not sure that slater and gordon are the right people though. maybe someone who is working in the legal system but shares a love for the melbourne music scene would make a stronger case and also be willing to work pro bono.
MICHAEL DUDIIIKOFF
Pro boner...
josejones went to law school...
what about the lass who used to work at the tote? isnt she looking after those terroists that got busted a few weeks back? she seems right up there with the big guns.
That's criminal law, liamisnice.
You need a civil lawyer. Good luck with that!
But for a class action, you need to find a few more plaintiffs, I think.
Is it really live music venues where trouble occurs? I'd have thought DJ style nightclubs were more of an issue for this kind of thing.
Good to see the bouncers above protecting the drunks at church from fucking shit up as ''Eagles Wing's'' fails to rock the congregation.
WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON DOWN THERE, PEOPLE
melbourne is the new sydney
liamsnice - what association do you belong to? Is there an association or loose collective of music venue owner/operators? A solution could be to get the association to represent the collective of music venue owners/operators. That is their role, and they would have collective clout and, if it is a financial interest they should be able to know who is a decent legal rep and fund it, or put in place a framework to fund it. Hospitality assn? (although that could be tricky as they'd rep the DJ venues too, but still if a distinction needs to be made in the law it's their role tovoice that concern on behalf of their members) APRA? What assn did the fair go for live music work through or did you all form an informal collective based upon that issue?
Instead of calling it 'fair go for live music' call it ''we don't want to become like Sydney'......
View Comments 20 to 52
We've limited the amount of comments shown in these larger topics to allow for faster viewing, simply click here to load all the missing comments ...
What if a DJ is playing/doing something original? Or don't you admit that possibility?
Oh boy, a ''DJ vs 'real' bands'' debate. Never seen that before.
In other news: One guy prefers original bands over covers acts. Will the internet survive the intensity as the two battle over their respective positions? Stay tuned for updates as they happen.
That line I quoted goes well beyond ''DJs vs. real bands'', JRB.
I'm not that interested, was just kinda intrigued that a fairly hefty segment of arts/entertainment could be written out of the discussion.
It's a redundant argument, given that many venues that host original live bands also have DJs playing stuff on a regular basis to the same punters.
yeah it's tricky and I'm avoiding the 'DJ as creative' argument because it's not my area. So please kill me or enlighten me. But what I'm trying to get at is the distinction between communities of interest. Again it's a matter of degree. There is a difference between e.g. the venues where stabbings have occurred and the Old Bar/Tote/Pony etc. Can someone highlight the differences? (apart from those already given eg. size, owner operated, history of violence etc). It gets back to ''primary nature of the establishment''
I'm not even going to argue with you MissAustralia2003. I don't think it's really even valid to separate original music from covers, as jazz is 90% ''covers'' as is ''world'' music, tribute nights etc. I suppose my point is that music doesn't have a lot to do with alcohol-fueled street violence. If they're hell bent on increasing security, increase security at places with the most violence, not the most music.
How many recent media reported brawls, stabbings etc have been groups of guys in the city, OUTSIDE any licensed venue, roaming around either looking to get into another club after being turfed out or denied entry, or just out in the city looking for a barney? Even if you shut down 75% of all live music venues and clubs, you'll still have stupid dudes with a tendency to boorish behaviour looking for a fight.
Yes we can all agree on that!
yes kuroneko I blame men. Men.... our root of evil.......
Haw haw haw.
Okay, I will accept the occasional scrag in the group of dudes. I don't want to run this along gender lines, just that most trouble I've ever seen or dealt with has been guys. Sorry, fellas.
oh so now you think transgender and transexual people cant fight? whaat about hermaphrodites? you are really hurtful sometimes kuro.
Couldn't really find out why music was identified as a risk factor in the RIS document. Asked for a clarification and which particular bands are a risk.
YOU GOTTA FIGHT, FOR YOUR RIGHT, TO PARTY!
Some feminist wrote a paper about how men were not cost effective, because all the crime and war is down to them.
Probably had a point in there somewhere, but as evidenced by the triple J hottest 100 of all time, we also make the best music.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS REALLY ABOUT!!!
if there was no women on the planet do you think we would still start wars and fight on the streets or even make wonderful music modi?
id actually say that we would be pretty down about the whole situation and hiding in dark places playing with ourselves. or each other.
so i actually blame women for all this violence.
Is this why you want bouncers, liam? To protect you from women?
I'm not saying anything of the sort.
Why can't we all just get along?
I saw a retard try to fight two Chinese students today. Put that in your data and collate it.
block, it would take more than a couple of bouncers to keep the hoards of women that want a taste of liam d matthews away.