This week the NSW government has committed to rolling out Michael’s Rule. This will see international music acts incentivised to choose local support acts. 

Our daughter, Lotte Gallagher, was a triple J unearthed high finalist a few years back and since then has had the luck to tour with international acts including the Script, the Beaches and Ricky Montgomery. On every one of these tours she lost money, needing to be subsidised by her parents. It’s an interesting definition of luck that despite the accolade and coveted spot she’s had the chance to take, at this stage we’re struggling to see a viable career for her. 
 

If even the most talented and celebrated new artists are paying to play, then this industry in Australia is failing. 

Is this what we want in Australia? While we continue to invest in Science and Maths, we’re ignoring the cost to our culture by forgetting the Arts. Humans don’t go out on a Saturday night to watch maths. Our greatest human moments are most often accompanied by music. The song that got us through our first break up, the chorus we sang with our friends on our road trips, the lyric that we walk down the aisle to. 

Music is so important, and we’re killing it here in Australia. And with it, we’re destroying dreams, and we’re destroying memories. Are you okay for Australian memories in 10 years time to only be anchored in overseas imports? I’m not.

I want my children and future generations to be listening to the next Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Kylie Minogue, Missy Higgins, G-Flip.

Michael’s Rule is part of making this possible. Please take this to Parliament on my behalf.