Election 2010 – Beat Decides!
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Election 2010 – Beat Decides!

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So what Beat is encouraging is for everybody to simply look at each of the political parties, see what they have planned for music, for arts, for community action, and go with the party that best looks after everything that makes Melbourne such a great city.

Well. Not really. We’re not here to decide for you. Beat is happy to present as many sides to the election argument as possible, and we understand that voting is a personal preference that’s based and judged on far too many diverse facets for us to even try to sway you. No, what our aim is to do is to simply help you, the arts and music culture lovers of Melbourne get a wider view of what the State Election of 2010 may mean for you, and give a quick insight into some of the parties involved.

What we’re also suggesting is that, as we’ve all seen through the fantastic effort of Save Live Australian Music with the SLAM rally and the subsequent efforts of those involved and Music Victoria, that if you engage with politics, change can be achieved. Hey, as a guy at a pub in Brunswick once told me, politics can be like an STD – let it run rampant and pay no attention to it, and it’ll ‘cause you all sorts of havoc. But if you pay attention to it, treat it with respect and engage with the problem, it can usually be made to be somewhat manageable. He was a wise old fellow. Smelt bad, sure, and kind of reminded me of a decrepit Tommy Alvin, but regardless, it was a fair summation.

So what Beat is encouraging is for everybody to simply look at each of the political parties, see what they have planned for music, for arts, for community action, and go with the party that best looks after everything that makes Melbourne such a great city. Who’s looking after live music venues? Who’s looking after bands? Theatre groups? Artists? Who’s going to help nurture and grow the aspects of Melbourne which make it such a unique and great place to live?

That’s what you have to decide – and we hope you vote accordingly. Because, as with my Tommy Alvin-esque friend, if we don’t fight for our right to party and the ability to express and enjoy artistic endeavours such as live music and the myriad arts, then nobody will. 20,000 people took to the streets in February to support live music, and it made the politicians take notice. Don’t waste the opportunity to be heard.