Recent weeks have seen the Live Music Office back in the Northern Territory working with local industry, venues and government on supporting the development of the music sector in the NT alongside current reforms to the Liquor Act now underway including the new risk based licensing framework.

The Live Music Office was able to attend consultation on a strategic plan for the NT music industry in Darwin, as well as catch up with a range of stakeholders from industry associations, Activate Darwin, and also attend the National Indigenous Music Awards, having also been involved in the judging this year.

Last week saw the passage of the Liquor Bill 2019 progressing through the NT Legislative Assembly. It is expected that there will be a number of components of relevance venues and events as the regulations commence later in 2019.

Like Western Australia, the NT Liquor Act has important references for the arts and cultural sector in the public interest test. To determine whether issuing a licence or an authority is in the public interest, the Commission must consider how it would advance the following objectives, including;

(e) increasing cultural, recreational, employment or tourism benefits for the local community area;

Earlier in 2019 the Select Committee on a Northern Territory Harm Reduction Strategy for Addictive Behaviours was set up to review the available evidence regarding effective harm reduction strategies used to address health problems associated with illicit drug use and other addictive behaviours and, also, strategies for reducing the impact of these behaviours on families and the broader community.

This process made a series of findings that will be important references as the other states and territory consider responses to music festivals regulations and approaches.