The Music Network gathers those notable pre-election promises for assistance and backing for the “Vote Music” campaign.
As Australia heads to the polls on May 3rd, 2025, the country’s music industry is rallying behind the “Vote Music 2025” campaign, an initiative pressing political leaders to make meaningful commitments to support musicians, venues, and the broader cultural sector.
Facing pressures from declining live opportunities and streaming challenges, the industry is calling for action, not platitudes.
The campaign outlines five core goals:
Strengthen live music infrastructure and education
Enhance artist rights and protect against AI exploitation
Boost Australian music presence across radio, streaming, and screen
Invest in mental health, safety, and inclusion programs
Help artists expand globally with touring support
So, which parties are actually backing these goals? Here’s the breakdown:
Labor
Labor is the most vocal in support of Vote Music 2025. Their existing “Revive” cultural policy already channels $69.4 million into Music Australia to develop the sector. Key 2025 pledges include:
$25 million extension of Revive Live, benefiting venues and festivals
$12.5 million to refurbish ANAM’s South Melbourne Town Hall
Ongoing commitment to consultation and cultural policy development
Recognition that artists are “real workers” contributing both culturally and economically
Labor’s messaging focuses on long-term sustainability, national identity through music, and strengthening institutional support.
The Greens
The Greens’ plan is structural, ambitious, and long-term. Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has laid out a fully-costed policy package focused on survival and growth:
$2 billion over 10 years for arts sector sustainability
Tax offsets:
10% for live music venues
50% for touring artists’ travel
40% for live theatre production
$20 million/year Festival Support Package
$2 million to investigate and address insurance failures for live events
A strategy to coordinate festival support across governments
Their proposal positions the Greens as the most comprehensive and proactive arts-focused party, particularly for grassroots and independent musicians.
David Pocock (Independent Senator)
Pocock expresses strong personal and legislative support:
Pushed the Fair Pay for Radio Play Bill to reform outdated royalties
Backs modern content rules to ensure Aussie artists get prime airtime
Supports Vote Music 2025’s goals across live, education, and export
Frames music as critical to mental health, youth engagement, and national identity
Pocock’s record shows he isn’t just making election-season promises—he’s already pushing for real reform in Parliament.
The Coalition (Liberal/National Party)
No comment. The article notes “crickets” from the LNP, with no public commitments or responses to the Vote Music campaign as of publication. Their silence contrasts sharply with other parties’ clear positions.
Music Matters—Who’s Listening?
The 2025 election is a defining moment for the Australian music sector. Labor, the Greens, and Independents like Pocock are taking the call seriously, with funding, legislation, and strategic backing.
The LNP’s silence, however, may be seen as a lack of prioritization for creative industries.
Vote Music 2025 isn’t just about musicians—it’s about jobs, culture, mental health, and national identity.
Parties with detailed, funded plans are signaling a shift toward viewing music as infrastructure, not a hobby.
For the creative sector, this election is a referendum on long-term survival and growth.
Source: What the Political Parties Are Pledging For the Music Industry
