It seems Premier Brumby has been on a bit of a rampage the last year, killing off our art, and apparently, this is only the beginning. I thought it couldn’t get any worse when the skills reform was introduced mid last year, putting TAFE out of reach for many Victorians. This legislation stabbed at the heart of Melbourne’s thriving art scene by abolishing government-funded places for students with equivalent or higher qualifications and forcing them to pay full fees, which many are unable to afford. This change hurt the arts – writing, film, music – because many people study art when they’ve matured andhttp://koralydimitriadis.wordpress.com/ come into themselves and this is usually after having studied and worked in another industry. I wrote an article about the changes on my blog and Overland last year and you can read that here. But Brumby didn’t stop there. The same time the TAFE changes were introduced, new liquor licensing regulations were also brought in that have severely hurt Melbourne’s unique live music scene.
The first of Brumby’s victims was announced a few days ago. The Tote pub – a Collingwood cultural rock icon – has been forced to close its doors after thirty years of trading due to mounting pressure from VCAT and finding it difficult to trade profitably with the introduction of the new regulations. The Tote, just like other small live music venues like The Espy, The Arthouse, and The Corner, supports the emerging musician. Classifying The Tote as a “high risk” venue on par with nightclubs on King Street, the state liquor licensing department has been meticulous in enforcing this legislation which has put all these precious live music venues at risk of closure.
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Dear draft number eight,
are you the one? The one I’ve been working towards all my life? Could it be? I thought draft number seven was the one, I really did – what a disappointment. Then again, I thought number six was the one too but what a mess that turned out to be. Draft number eight, if you’re not the one, can you please tell me up front? Spare me the hell of the redraft only to have the world reject you again and again? Because I really don’t want to do it again. I really don’t want to wake Ella and Robert and George and relive it all again, I really don’t. I don’t want the sleepless nights, and the muddling of me and the others. So please, please, tell me now if you’re not the one and we can part amicably.
If you are the one, that’s perfect! I’ll put up with the transformation writing you will bring, and once again I’ll sacrifice my family and friends to write you just as long as you’re the one. I’ll play my music and the words will hum out of me. I have this vibe that you are the one because with the others I rewrote them completely but with you, I only have to tidy you up, improve the language and rewrite the ending. If you are truly the one, I’m sure it’ll just happen, like in the movies. Do you think we’re meant to be me and you? If you do I’ll give you my all, and we’ll show the world, we’ll show them what we’re made of.
But only if you’re the one.
A yes or no answer would be great.
Looking forward to your response,
your author for life
Koraly
xxx
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Murderer Brumby stop killing our art
January 19, 2010 at 9:06 am (Creative commentary) (Brumby, liquor licensing regulations, live music, the tote, underground music)
It seems Premier Brumby has been on a bit of a rampage the last year, killing off our art, and apparently, this is only the beginning. I thought it couldn’t get any worse when the skills reform was introduced mid last year, putting TAFE out of reach for many Victorians. This legislation stabbed at the heart of Melbourne’s thriving art scene by abolishing government-funded places for students with equivalent or higher qualifications and forcing them to pay full fees, which many are unable to afford. This change hurt the arts – writing, film, music – because many people study art when they’ve matured andhttp://koralydimitriadis.wordpress.com/ come into themselves and this is usually after having studied and worked in another industry. I wrote an article about the changes on my blog and Overland last year and you can read that here. But Brumby didn’t stop there. The same time the TAFE changes were introduced, new liquor licensing regulations were also brought in that have severely hurt Melbourne’s unique live music scene.
The first of Brumby’s victims was announced a few days ago. The Tote pub – a Collingwood cultural rock icon – has been forced to close its doors after thirty years of trading due to mounting pressure from VCAT and finding it difficult to trade profitably with the introduction of the new regulations. The Tote, just like other small live music venues like The Espy, The Arthouse, and The Corner, supports the emerging musician. Classifying The Tote as a “high risk” venue on par with nightclubs on King Street, the state liquor licensing department has been meticulous in enforcing this legislation which has put all these precious live music venues at risk of closure.
Read the rest of this entry »
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