The Australian Music Association is deeply saddened and concerned by the bushfires that have devastated our country.  The impact on the environment, the wildlife and community is overwhelming.

Based on my own personal experience living through Black Saturday and now with the current situation, we have all been affected by fires in various ways. Even if you have not been directly impacted by the current fire season, the constant news of the loss of wilderness, homes and lives can make you feel overwhelmed and powerless.

Many of us have want to do something to help in this time of crisis.  But it is also important we acknowledge the impact this traumatic event may have on our emotional and mental health. As such, here is a simple and useful resource created by ABC News that explores the impact the news of the catastrophic fires can have on us as adults, on our children, and provides some practical strategies for coping –  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-23/illustrated-guide-coping-traumatic-news/5985104

If your company has an EAP service agreement or contract with a provider, please remind your staff that they should access this service if they need further coping strategies.

No doubt we have all been moved by the terrible devastation of the bushfire crisis throughout Australia in recent weeks, and we know that it will be a struggle for many as towns and businesses rebuild their trades and services, let alone homes and property that have been lost.

There will be many aspects of support that will help rebuild local economies, not the least of which will be customers returning to buy goods and services they did before the fires came through their communities.

As we have seen in the media, fund raising has been rapid and broad with celebrities and others in the music industry raising millions for the NSW RFS and to a lesser degree other states’ CFA’s, The Salvos, Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies. Many individuals and businesses have already been part of the giant fundraising efforts and made generous contributions. The AMA knows of a couple of fundraising efforts currently underway in our industry and we will do our best to support those efforts.

The AMA Executive thinks the most appropriate way for the Australian Music Association to be involved is to make available our communication channels to support these fundraising efforts. As usual the entertainment industry is putting its hand up to run numerous fundraising gigs and events – we will support spreading the word through Australian Musician and our social media channels.

By way of example a group of local luthiers and electronic builders are running a fundraising ‘big raffle’ for Australian made MI gear on social media. And we are sure other ideas will be presented in the coming weeks and months.

Timely insurance settlements, restoration of power and stock replacement in stores will all be critical to getting towns impacted moving again. We hope any MI stores that may have been affected by current events get back on their feet as quickly as possible and that we do our best as an industry to minimise their current challenges.

In terms of actions, if you do not know what or who to give monetary donations too, can I suggest donating to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal –  https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-donate

It’s not hard to get involved in charity events … see following example:

My name is Adrian Tamburini (Pure Harmony Music & Events) and I am producing a Charity Gala Concert at the Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne on February 7th to raise funds for victims of the bushfires through the Red Cross Disaster Fund. 100% of proceeds will go directly the Red Cross. 

This concert will feature over 50 singers and musicians from Melbourne’s opera community who are all donating their time and talent to this cause. The management and staff at the Athenaeum Theatre have also offered the venue and volunteered their time for this concert. 

Tickets went on sale yesterday through Ticketek. We have already sold nearly 800 tickets with the hope of selling all 1200 seats. 

Tickets and more information about this event can be found at https://m.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=RELIEF20

A well-known piano distributor is supplying the concert grand piano and 1200 people will be making sizable donations. It’s not that hard to get involved.

I trust this communication encourages you and your businesses by participating in efforts to help rebuild lives and communities, as many AMA members have already.

Be Safe,

Michael Shade

AMA President

The AMA’s annual Melbourne Guitar Show is again on at Caulfield Racecourse August 1 & 2, 2020. MGS2020 AMA Member Exhibitor Prospectus was emailed to members today. They have until 31 January to have preferential choice of stand positions and book their space prior to the general prospectus being released.

Check out the highlights video of last year’s show.

In a mammoth production, the AMEB has for the second time broadcast its Online Orchestra project on October 19 – featuring the iconic I Am Australian performed by hundreds of Australians in numerous settings around the country. In an an inspirational performance led by conductor Jessica Gethin, the AMEB Online Orchestra is Australia’s largest virtual orchestra that provides an inclusive performance opportunity like no other to instrumentalists and singers from anywhere in the world. Indviduals and groups record their version of the set arrangement and submit online.

A truly wonderful example of the power of music making. Congratulations to all involved.

Wednesday January 15 is a must for retailers attending NAMM 2020 – there are two excellent, now traditional, NAMM U sessions.
NAMM retail members seeking the latest in future-focused retail and financial strategies are invited to attend one of two day-long, interactive Summits that will explore exciting ways to amplify your retail success and dramatically reshape your future:

The Retail Innovation Summit or the Retail Financial Summit  are held on the Wednesday before NAMM – reserve your place)…Read more

The Victorian Government will implement a state-wide ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags from 1 November 2019.
The ban applies to ALL retailers – including supermarkets, greengrocers, bakeries, pharmacies, clothes stores, restaurants, cafes, markets, food outlets, and many more.
The ban will apply to all lightweight plastic shopping bags which have a thickness of 35 microns or less at any part of the bag, including degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags.
More Info Here

From 1 November 2019, new national laws for gift cards sold to consumers will require:
• a minimum three-year expiry period; and
• expiry information displayed prominently on cards.
Most post-purchase fees will also be banned under the new laws.

Cards and vouchers sold before 1 November 2019 continue to have the same expiry period and terms and conditions that applied at the date they were sold.

If your business sells gift cards or vouchers, now is the time to do a stocktake and make sure your business complies with the new laws. To get ready, you should:
• update the terms and conditions on gift cards and vouchers, websites and other promotional materials;
• make note of the changes on any receipt issued when a gift card is purchased;
• update internal systems, training and compliance manuals; and
• place signage on gift card displays and at the point of sale.
When the new laws start, a penalty of up to $30,000 may be imposed if a non-compliant gift card is sold to a consumer.

The New Gift Card Laws page on the Australian Consumer Law website explains the changes and the requirements for selling gift cards.

New South Wales and South Australia already have local gift card laws in place. Visit the NSW Fair Trading website or the Consumer and Business Services (South Australia) website to find out more.