Year in Review 22

ORO – Growing a bi-lingual New Zealand music industry

With broad industry support APRA AMCOS has initiated programs to encourage and ignite creation and performance of waiata reo Māori by providing inspirational opportunities, quality resources, and expert guidance to songwriters – fostering confidence and excellence in waiata Māori for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

Reo Māori SongHubs – collaborative writing

An annual songwriting workshop that pairs kaitito waiata (songwriters) with language and music experts – fostering creative, collaborative, and linguistic excellence, industry networks, and new original waiata (songs).

Pokapū – translation support

A support network and resource for artists wanting to produce reo Māori remixes of existing songs originally written in English. Pokapū provides a fully funded team of translators who are available to help and support artists with translation and pronunciation as they record and perform in te reo Māori.

Throughout the year there were more than 40 new or translated waiata reo Māori releases. Led by the largest publicity and marketing campaign ever launched to support waiata Māori across Kiwi radio, Māori Television, Radio NZ, MediaWorks, NZME, print, online and social media platforms across NZ, Australia, the UK, and USA, and resulted in:

• Largest number of waiata to ever populate the NZ Music Charts at any one time
• English plus Māori versions of waiata featured separately on the same Singles Charts
• ‘35’ by Ka Hao feat. Rob Ruha peaked at #2 on Tik Tok’s Top Trending Charts

Waiata/Anthems

A week-long celebration of new waiata reorua (bi-lingual songs) in September, acknowledging the work of the pioneers and Māori language champions of the past through to the waiata of artists today, giving greater access to our heritage language and culture. A significant media and digital marketing campaign will help publicise the emergence of a bilingual music industry.

Advocacy

Australia

COVID-19

The Delta and Omicron outbreaks during much of the financial year resulted in COVID-19 remaining a major challenge in our exhaustive work advocating for our members and the broader music ecosystem. Government Relations was dominated by the continuing impact of the pandemic on APRA AMCOS’ membership and the wider live music industry.

July 2021

COVID-19 advocacy

Lockdowns continued to cause havoc across the live music and events sector. APRA AMCOS convened urgent industry meetings to discuss the fallout and agree to a policy approach to present to government. These meetings became known as OpenMic, a forum for the industry to share insights, information and provide support.

The industry sought the following direct assistance from Federal, State and Territory authorities to assist the industry to survive the lockdowns and reopen:

1. Provide crisis support through Support Act and ensure existing relief packages support impacted artists, workers, sole traders and music businesses
2. Further extend the JobKeeper program for artists and industry businesses impacted by lockdowns
3. Establish a Business Insurance Program for current and future festivals and events
4. Reduce restrictions on working musicians, event professionals and staff where employment requires travel within and between the states and territories
5. Harmonise state/territory based ‘COVID safe’ policies across all like indoor and outdoor events, including sport, music and theatre

There was significant coverage of the plight of the sector in the media to accompany this advocacy work.

September 2021

COVID-19 advocacy

Industry roundtable meetings continued to be hosted by APRA AMCOS each week. We established six industry working groups to support the five-point reopening plan developed with the industry. Special guests from aligned and associated industries were invited to discuss current policy issues and COVID-19-related policy approaches to help support the industry.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young tabled a private Senators bill on an insurance product. The Senator’s bill was referred to a Senate Committee and APRA AMCOS made a submission supporting the implementation of a government-backed scheme.

Screen industry advocacy

APRA AMCOS continued its screen industry advocacy against Australian Government proposals that would disadvantage locally made independent films and documentaries. These proposals were part of a Bill that increased the Producer Offset for feature films to 40% and for non-feature content including television content to 30%.

APRA AMCOS worked closely with the Australian Guild of Screen Composers supporting the increase to the offset, but sought to have other proposed amendments to Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 5) Bill 2021 removed.

These changes included:

1. Raising of the QAPE expenditure threshold for features and the PDV sector to $1 million
2. A cap on eligible copyright expenditure
3. Removal of the ‘Gallipoli clause’ that allows for Australian elements shot offshore to be included as qualifying expenditure
4. Remove the ability to count general business overheads as qualifying Australian production expenditure towards any offset
5. A limit to expenditure claims for the re-versioning of a film

APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston and AGSC President Antony Partos appeared alongside screen industry colleagues at the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee inquiry into the legislation. We also met with key cross bench MPs and Senators regarding the proposals.

November 2021

COVID-19 advocacy

Industry roundtable meetings continued to be hosted by APRA AMCOS and went from weekly to fortnightly. By November, NSW and Victoria were starting to significantly reduce restrictions to reopen.

APRA AMCOS appeared at a Senate Committee hearing established by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on event insurance. CEO Dean Ormston appeared alongside APRA Ambassadors John Watson and Pete Murray. Our appearance received significant coverage in national media including the ABC and the Nine Newspapers.

In November the Victorian Government announced a government backed insurance scheme, the first jurisdiction in Australia to do so.

Live music regulations – NSW

Following further advocacy from APRA AMCOS and the Live Music Office, dedicated live music venues were granted an additional hour in trading to encourage more live music. As well as this, musicians were granted use of loading zones. NSW Minister for Customer Service, Victor Dominello acknowledged in Parliament the work of APRA AMCOS and the Live Music Office in bringing about these reforms.

January - February 2022

Policy development

With a Federal Election due in May 2022 APRA AMCOS embarked on reviewing its longer-term and strategic advocacy work. Through the OpenMic group we began consultation with the broader music industry on a vision for the local music industry. The high-level themes around this work were largely informed by the National Press Club address given by APRA Chair Jenny Morris in August 2020.

Key themes emerging from this work include the importance of First Nations led music development, robust intellectual property frameworks, a quality and universal music education, community wellbeing, cultural expression, regional economic development, employment and export.

Parallel to this, APRA AMCOS facilitated further discussion through the OpenMic group to develop policies for the industry to agree to in the 2022 Federal Election. Initial drafts of these policies included:

• Advocating for the creation of a standalone Commonwealth Ministry for Culture and the Creative Industries
• A tax offset program to encourage investment in live music and a cultural uplift to support music in screen content
• Creation of a Commonwealth Fellowship Program for the creation of great local music
• A review of content quotas to better support local content
• Re-investment in Sounds Australia, First Nations-led programs, Live Music Australia, Women in Music mentorship, and new investment in youth music development and diversity programs

COVID-19 advocacy

The OpenMic Industry roundtable meetings began again in mid-January due to the impact of the Omicron variant and the subsequent closure of the industry from new health orders. In particular, the new lockdowns impacted those parts of the sector in NSW and Victoria adversely and national touring was all but abandoned.

In January the NSW Government launched a $43 million Event Saver Fund, which followed the announcement by the Victorian Government of a state-based insurance scheme.

APRA AMCOS lobbied for further NSW Government support for the industry in partnership with industry representatives. A further package of support was then announced which included an extension of the JobSaver scheme, as well as $85 million in funding to support venues, promoters and producers in relaunching performing arts and live music activities. $5 million was also committed to Support Act.

Screen industry advocacy

APRA AMCOS continued to support colleagues across the screen industry on the Producer Offset reforms. We also coordinated coverage in the Australian Financial Review in the lead-up to the vote on the legislation to highlight the damage of the proposals to local screen composers. The proposed changes were largely defeated in Parliament representing a significant win for the local sector.

May 2022

Federal Election 2022

With an election to be held on 21 May, APRA AMCOS attended key events in both Sydney and Canberra to ensure we maintained our visibility with decision makers alongside other key industry groups. We had a significant presence at Budget Week events in Canberra to continue important policy discussions with key government and opposition stakeholders.

Pre-election policy development

APRA AMCOS continued coordinating music industry policy development. This included the creation of a pre-election policy platform agreed to by 16 industry bodies.

The pre-election platform called on the Coalition Government and Labor Opposition to partner and invest in the Australian music industry:

“Australia has the potential to go from a music nation to a music powerhouse. A partnership approach with the Australian music industry will foster future job creation and build skills in one of the fastest growing global industries at the forefront of community, innovation and economic growth.”

The election asks were centred around three key priorities:

1. Support rebuild through the development of skills, music creation and export - this includes funding to support Support Act as well as direct grants and industry programs
2. Drive Investment through local content incentives across all platforms and mediums, a tax offset for live music and certainty for local audiences with a government backed insurance scheme
3. Ensure Sustainability by strengthening intellectual property and a ‘Green Paper’ review of the policy settings that will support the creation, investment and pathways to market for Australian music

Screen and digital games industry advocacy

APRA AMCOS partnered with the AGSC on a response to consultation around an exposure draft of legislation that will see the creation of a Digital Games Tax Offset. We welcomed the inclusion of “musicians (including composers) and sound designers” as qualifying Australian development expenditure.

The growth of the digital games sector in Australia from the introduction of an offset will have a direct impact on the livelihoods of our members. We pointed out that Australian songwriters, composers and sound designers for digital games already have attracted significant international success.

APRA AMCOS also began preparing a submission to the Australian Government’s consultation on Streaming Services Reporting and Investment Scheme, which is looking at ways of establishing significant local content investment requirements by Streaming Video on Demand services (SVODs). We support our partners across the screen industry on more ambitious levels of investment from platforms than those proposed by the former government.

New Zealand

NZ Free Trade Agreements harmonise NZ term of copyright

In October 2021 and July 2022, the New Zealand government finalised new free trade relationships with both a post-Brexit Britain and the European Union respectively.

In both new agreements intellectual property chapters were key components. While the UK deal gave New Zealand a lengthy 15 years to give effect to the changes, the EU deal has hastened the change which now must happen in the next 4 years. On the back of the long-delayed Copyright Act review, this has been a keen focus of a pan-industry effort to bring rights in line with the rest of the developed world.

Under the EU free trade agreement, New Zealand has agreed to extend copyright term by 20 years for authors, performers, and producers. As songwriters, composers and publishers know, copyright is a form of intellectual property. It gives creators of original works exclusive rights to copy, publish, publicly perform, transmit and adapt their material. The right is limited though, and in New Zealand it has been limited generally to 50 years after the creator’s death, while in Australia, throughout the world and in particular Europe, that protection has been for a period of 70 years. This change brings those rights enjoyed by New Zealand creators and producers in line with those enjoyed by creators worldwide.

The free trade agreements are significant for New Zealand producers on many fronts but the confirmation of the extension of the term of copyright is something that will benefit writers, composers, publishers, producers and performers in Aotearoa.

Also included in both free trade agreements is a commitment from New Zealand to increase the strength of its technological protection measures under the Copyright Act and a commitment to establish an artist’s resale right regime – this means that visual artists will receive a royalty on the sale price of any original artwork that is resold via a professional intermediary, for example a gallery or art dealer.

'Runnin' by David Dallas, was featured in the montage scene in the Netflix Adam Sandler movie Hustle, produced by LeBron James. The 2013 hit single and beloved NZ sports anthem is David’s collaboration with Fire & Ice production duo of brothers Jordan Iustini and Aaron Iustini; and published by Mushroom Music.

11-year-old singer-songwriter Devy won the St Kilda Festival New Music Competition for 'Please Don’t Give Up On Me' and generously donated her entire $5,000 cash prize to Support Act.

Emma Donovan received the 2022 First Nations Arts and Culture Fellowship from the Australia Council. Emma will produce a new solo album, featuring songs for children in traditional language.

Aotearoa-based producer Frano Huett co-wrote and co-produced 'Rich Spirit' from Kendrick Lamar's acclaimed Mr Morale and The Big Steppers album. He is published by Universal/MCA Music Publishing.

Singer-songwriter Gabriella Cohen’s charming 'Little Things', published by Gaga Music obo Third Side Music, soundtracked the David Jones 2021 Christmas campaign.

Gang of Youths achieved their first top 10 UK album with the chart debut of Angel in Realtime and nabbed the top spot on the ARIA chart. Frontman David Le’Aupepe is published by Universal Music Publishing.

2022 Art Music Fund recipient, renowned tar player and composer Hamed Sadeghi had a standout year with trio Vazesh’s (Hamed, Jeremy Rose, Lloyd Swanton) debut The Sacred Key nominated for the ARIA Best Jazz Album and a 2021 Art Music Awards finalist for Performance of the Year Jazz – Improvised Music. His group Eishan Ensemble was nominated for ARIA Best World Music Album for Project Masnavi.

Lucy Kiely won the Song for the Commonwealth competition and penned the lyrics for 'A Life Lived With Grace', with music composed by Vincent Atueyi Chinemelu of Nigeria. Their song was performed by American singer Gregory Porter at the Royal Platinum Jubilee in London.

Masked Wolf and Tyron Hapi’s universally loved co-write 'Astronaut in the Ocean' can boast being the Most Shazam’d song of 2021 and the most used song on TikTok in 2021. Tyron is published by BMG Rights Management.

It was a breakout year for country music artist Max Jackson. She was named the 42nd winner of Toyota Star Maker prize at Tamworth, headed to Nashville to write with Phil Barton and 2001 Star Maker-winner Kylie Sackley and was featured at CMA’s Close Up Stage in an international songwriter round. New Zealand’s Kaylee Bell, a standout on The Voice (AU), also joined Max in the round.

The Netflix film Interceptor, scored by Michael Lira, (published by Universal Music Publishing on behalf of Ambience Entertainment) was a Top 10 Netflix streaming film in a whopping 93 countries in June 2022.

Art Music Fund recipient Nardi Simpson’s -barra had its world premiere at Sydney Festival in January 2022. It was a special performance with Yuwaalaraay artists Nardi Simpson, Lucy Simpson and Brendan Odee Welsh, Ensemble Offspring and Barayagal choir.

Hip-hop superstar Polo G’s #1 Billboard 200 album Hall of Fame went platinum in the US in early 2022. It includes contributions from Aussie and Kiwi members: 15-year-old South Australian producer Nato Kitch is credited on ‘Heart of a Giant (Feat. Rod Wave)’; Sydney-producer Khaled Rohaim is a co-writer on ‘Bloody Canvas’ (published by Universal/MCA Music Publishing); The Kid LAROI is a writer and featured on ‘No Return’ (Sony Music Publishing); and NZ producer Joseph Boyden, better known as SephGotTheWaves, is a writer and producer on ‘So Real’, published by Native Tongue Music Publishing.

Very deserved success for screen composer Nerida Tyson-Chew. AFTRS bestowed her with an honorary doctorate of Doctor of Arts, Film and Television (honoris causa) and Netflix rom-com Perfect Pairing was the top movie worldwide on the platform on release, featuring her score. In the first week it had 33 million streaming hours!

APRA AMCOS Ambassador Ngaiire signed a worldwide publishing deal with Wise Music. Her song 'Closer' (Wise Music obo Embassy Music Publishing) co-written with Gab Strum pka Japanese Wallpaper (Native Tongue Music Publishing) and Jack Grace (Universal Music Publishing) made the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year shortlist.

Northlane scored a second #1 ARIA Album with Obsidian, which also charted on UK digital and Rock & Metal charts. The band’s Jon Deiley, Josh Smith, Nic Pettersen and Marcus Bridge are published by Mushroom Music obo UNIFIED Music Publishing.

Pnau’s Nick Littlemore, Sam Littlemore and Peter Mayes, published by Universal Music Publishing, added their remix magic and co-writing to the Elton John and Dua Lipa worldwide hit 'Cold Heart', which interpolates 'Sacrifice' with 'Rocket Man', 'Kiss the Bride' and 'Where’s My Shoorah'. It took home Top Dance/Electronic Song at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards and went to #1 in the UK and Australia.

Melbourne screen composer and electronic artist Patrick Grigg scored the music for the film Clean, which follows the life of trauma cleaner Sandra Pankhurst. The doco premiered at SXSW in March, with Variety remarking on Patrick’s "lovely melodic score".

Composer Stephen de Filippo’s Art Music Fund-supported work Spectral Breathing Apparatus was premiered by Niamh Dell at the Audible Edge Festival of Sound, Old Customs House, Fremantle.

New Zealand-based country artist Tami Neilson sang a duet with the legendary Willie Nelson on the beautiful 'Beyond the Stars' from her album Kingmaker. Tami co-wrote the song with fellow Kiwi Delaney Davidson; both are published by Native Tongue Music Publishing.

Composer Thomas Meadowcroft’s Art Music Fund-supported commissions Another Children’s Television and Forward Through Circles were premiered by Yarn/Wire at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre in New York City.

Troy Cassar-Daley surpassed country music legend Slim Dusty for the most Golden Guitar Awards with 40 nods. At the 50th Golden Guitar Awards, Troy took home three awards: Male Artist of the Year, Top Selling Album of the Year for The World Today, and Vocal Collaboration of the Year for his duet 'South' with Ian Moss (both writers are published by Mushroom Music).

APRA AMCOS Ambassador, producer and songwriter Tushar Apte was presented with the Rising Star award by Dean Ormston at the G’DAY AAA Arts Gala in LA in June. Tushar was the first producer to receive the honour and is published by Warner Chappell.

Sounds Australia marked a triumphant return to SXSW – their first physical showcase at an international conference in 780 days – with 10 artists showcasing in Austin, Texas.