World first music legislation to protect future of NSW music

The Music Bill 2026 was introduced to parliament this week. The bill includes:

• New noise assessment methodology for outdoor events: music festivals and major events at Government sites including Centennial Park, the Domain and Sydney Opera House will now monitor sound using a standard average over time metric. This will reduce the number of breaches due to a short burst of sound or a gust of wind, resulting in reduced costs, more predictability for organisers and more events.
• Live venue accreditation scheme: establishing a three-tier system which recognizes ‘dedicated’, ‘significant’ and ‘live music’ venues in order to tailor the most effective government support - including extended trading hours, government grants and dispute mediation support.
• Better engagement with government agencies: new guidelines for government agencies, including local councils, to ensure event approvals are timely, risk decisions are evidence based and government charges such as venue hire and user pays policing are reasonable.
• End music genre-based discrimination: the bill will end state government agencies and local councils making decisions on live music events and activities solely based on genre of music. This includes licensing conditions, development applications and event approvals.

The Bill also consolidates other legislation affecting the music industry, including the Sound NSW Advisory Board Act 2025, which makes it easier for the sector to understand how contemporary music will be supported by government.

To support the development the next generation of audiences and musicians the Minns Labor Government is introducing a new grant program to boost the number and quality of all-ages gigs.

The $500,000 All-Ages Live Music Venue Program will offer grants of up to $100,000 to venues to cover the cost of booking, staging and presenting a minimum of three all-ages live music experiences. Successful venues will already have a track record of delivering safe, inclusive and compliant all ages gigs. Expressions of Interest are now open until 10am, Monday 23 March, click here for more information.

This initiative builds on the Minns Labor Government’s decision to lift the annual concert cap on the SCG precinct, Centennial Park and Randwick Racecourse along with tripling the number of registered live music venues, introducing the NSW Music Prize, the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund and incentivising international touring acts to book a local support act.

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:

“Our music industry has been smashed by lockouts, lockdowns, overregulation of festivals and the algorithmically enhanced onslaught of American music. We have to back our local musicians or they’ll continue to drop out of our charts.

“The peak music methodology has pushed the volume down and increased the costs for NSW festivals. Measuring average levels over time is a much more reasonable way to balance the interests of music fans and residents.

“This bill steps up our support for venues who end up in disputes with the authorities or their neighbours. The cost of these painful processes can cripple small businesses, we can’t let that eat away at the culture of our city any more.

“We’ve already introduced a huge range of support for NSW music, this bill takes it to another level and enshrines it in law.”

Head of Sound NSW Emily Collins said:

“Live music is one of the great engines of our state’s cultural and social life. Whether it’s a packed festival, a local gig, or a community concert, these moments bring people together and keep our creative spirit thriving.

“For musicians, audiences, and the many people who make events happen, live music is more than entertainment — it’s connection, opportunity and community.

“All‑ages shows are often where young people fall in love with live music for the first time. This new program is about opening those doors: creating safe, welcoming gigs for young people while backing the venues that keep our music scene vibrant and alive.”

Managing Director Fuzzy Operations, Adelle Robinson said:

“NSW for many years was hardest place in Australia to operate festivals and live music events. This bill is the latest in a long list of regulatory changes that the current Government through Minister Graham’s leadership has brought about to make NSW a better place to operate, perform and enjoy live music and events.

“The changes to the way sound is managed at outdoor events will deliver a better experience for patrons and help events innovate without an impact on our neighbours.

“We welcome the Music Bill 2026 and look forward to what the future brings as NSW continues to lead the way in forward planning for culture, youth and music.”

Background on Minns Labor Government support for music since 2023 election:

• Triple the number of venues programming live music and getting extended trading hours.
• Reforming the noise complaints system so single serial noise complainants can no longer shut down existing live music venues.
• Rolling out Special Entertainment Precincts that future proof entertainment districts.
• Creating the NSW Music Prize, Australia’s largest cash music prize for music, totalling $160,000 across three award categories.
• Introducing ‘Michael’s Rule’ incentives for international touring artists to book local support acts across the Venues NSW network and the Sydney Opera House.
• Establishing the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund in September 2024 which has allocated a combined $2.25 million of emergency funding to five festivals in FY2024/25.
• Delivering recording, touring and promotion grants to help artists and acts create new work, grow audiences and build their careers.
• Introducing venue upgrade and soundproofing grants for operators to install soundproofing, improve infrastructure and get their venues gig ready.