More Bands on the Road, More Crowds in the Town
Labor’s new direction for the economy starts locally – with the places we all love to go.
That’s why a re-elected Carroll Labor Government will:
· Boost regional breweries
· Protect regional festivals
· Back regional live music
It’s all about jobs.
More crowds in town – and more patrons through the door – means more jobs for regional Victoria.
Boosting regional breweries
A regional brewery is more than somewhere to get a beer.
It’s a manufacturer, a cellar door, a tourist attraction and a local employer – all under one roof.
That’s why Labor will start a Regional Brewery Fund, developed with the Independent Brewers Association.
The Premier joined the IBA and Labor’s candidate for Macedon Annette Death at Woodend’s Holgate Brewhouse to deliver the news.
The $3 million fund will help breweries give people more reasons to visit.
That means better tours, tastings, taprooms and family-friendly spaces.
It can also help with the basics: accessibility, signage, marketing, equipment, infrastructure – and making beer.
Protecting regional festivals
Regional festivals bring thousands of people into our towns – filling hotels, pubs, restaurants and local shops.
But putting one on has become harder.
Insurance costs have risen, extreme weather creates new risks, and they endure council permit headaches.
That’s why Labor will deliver a $2 million Protecting Regional Festivals Fund.
Half will go to live music festivals, the other half to regional cultural festivals.
The purpose is simple: keep festivals on the calendar and keep crowds coming back to the regions.
Backing regional live music
Too many international and domestic tours stop in Melbourne and skip the rest of the state.
Last year, we brought Lenny Kravitz to Mildura and Good Charlotte to Bendigo.
Now, if re-elected, Labor will create regional touring grants to keep the acts coming.
The $4 million grants will directly support local promoters – the people who book the rooms and sell the tickets.
It’ll help them build audiences that come back year after year, and make regional shows stack up commercially.
It’s all about local jobs
The visitor economy alone supports almost 1 in every 10 jobs in regional Victoria.
Labor believes in a leg up for breweries, bandrooms and festivals because they bring visitors and jobs to our state.
If the Liberal-One Nation Coalition get into power and make $40 billion in cuts, they won’t just stop at hospitals.
Support for regional pubs, venues and breweries will be among the first things to go.
Quotes attributable to the Premier Ben Carroll
“My new direction for the economy starts in our local communities, and the places we all love to go.”
"When a band tours regional Victoria, the pub sells more beer, accommodation fills up and the local café has a queue out the door. That's what this is all about – jobs."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Vicki Ward
“Regional breweries, festivals and music venues bring people together, bring visitors in and support local jobs.”
"Andi t’s not just about tourists – regional Victorians shouldn't have to drive to Melbourne for a great weekend.”
