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Australian state declares 'war on festivals', Don’t Kill Live Music petition accrues over 100k signatures

The petition is part of a campaign opposing oppressive licensing laws in New South Wales...

Don't Kill Live Music, a petition railing against the Australian government's stifling festival and venue regulation, has now reached over 100,000 signatures.

Various festivals in Australia have been cancelled after the New South Wales government instituted oppressive licensing laws, which have been described by the petition as a "war on music and culture". One law includes an increased police presence, which added a higher cost to festivals, exemplified by Mountain Sounds cancelling because they were told to pay an extra $200,000 for 45 more police officers.

The regulation came about in response to well-publicised drug deaths in last year including two at hardstyle festival Defqon.1, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian asserting the government will "do everything we can to shut this down."

The petition establishes the context of the government's draconian policies, as well making a series of demands reversing the regulation's damaging effects including that the government "Develops an industry standard with full transparency for user-pays policing and medical services."

As well as the petition, a rally is planned for this Thursday 21 February starting in Sydney's Hyde Park.

 You can find out more about the petition and its demands here.