Australian rocker courts biz ahead of election

By Christie Eliezer

MELBOURNE (Billboard) - After 11 years in the political wilderness, Australia's opposition Labor Party is wooing the local music industry ahead of a general election, expected to be called in November. Opinion polls point to a landslide win for the center-left party.

And this time around, the party has added firepower: Its shadow arts minister is Peter Garrett, former singer with politically active rock act Midnight Oil.

Garrett, a lawyer by training, quit Midnight Oil -- which scored a worldwide hit in 1988 with "Beds Are Burning" -- for a full-time political career in 2002.

His 27 years of experience with the band means Garrett has "a firsthand understanding of many (music industry) issues," says Stuart Watters, Melbourne-based chief executive of the Australian Independent Record Labels Assn. (AIR). And during the past year, Garrett has been discussing those issues at meetings with various music industry sectors.

Labor has also ensured music biz support by adopting recommendations from the Contemporary Music Working Group think tank, representing label, publisher and commercial radio bodies plus various state associations.

CMWG recommendations endorsed by Labour include greater music/business skills education, a more cohesive music-exports approach and encouraging local authorities to reduce barriers facing live music.

Garrett declines to say what Labour expects in return for his determined courting of the industry, although some music acts and associations have said that they'll be backing the party at benefits and rallies.

AIR's Watters emphasizes the importance of maintaining a bipartisan stance, however. "There is a strong view that the industry is left-leaning," he says, "and we should make a conscious decision not to reinforce that view."