Tuesday, 7 March 2023

 Gary MAAS (Narre Warren South) (13:08): I note with some sadness that live music venue the Tote in Collingwood is up for sale. Some of us will remember of course the Save Live Australia’s Music rallies, the SLAM rallies, in 2010, when the Tote was last up for sale and thousands rallied out the front of this great Parliament House in the city to support live music, me included. Subsequently the new owners kept the Tote alive and did a great job over the next decade supporting local acts new and old. Having venues like the Tote is just so important for young artists who cut their teeth in the music industry, but it also gives communities a place to gather, socialise and enjoy a cracking night out. I would like to thank the current owners Jon Perring and Sam Crupi for their hard work keeping the Tote going over the years. It is a very difficult task to do that. The Labor government here in Victoria is doing its part though. We are delivering on our $34 million election pledge to support Victorian live music and iconic live music venues into the next four years. We are also developing a new planning overlay that will protect the use of live music venues for a specific cultural purpose. I look forward to the state government continuing to work with venues and music bodies on the future of live music in the state, and I hope that the Tote will continue to be a live music venue in its next incarnation, giving young artists and performers opportunities – (Time expired)