By Tania Phillips
Weekly performances in Stanthorpe each
Saturday are the latest part of a campaign to
create Special Entertainment precincts in the
town.
The performances from 11am to noon
each week are part of the push being made by
the Granite Belt Music Council.
Council spokesman Kel Johnson said the
group believed that music could help lead
economic recovery in the region after the recent disasters and had started the campaign
to allow easier access to live music in the
town .
“Special Entertainment precincts – their
authority and framework is found in section
264 of the Local Government act of 2009 and
what it does is allows for the State government laws for councils to have special entertainment precincts,” he explained.
“What it does is reduces a lot of the red
tape and you’ve only got one group – the
council – looking out for it and they make the
rules in there.
“In the past we’ve had problems with street
closures, there is various reasons why that has
happened but if you have Special Entertainment precincts it allows greater flexibility
with things like the Apple and Grape Festival.
You won’t have to rely on EPA, Police and Liquor Licensing as much. It will be dealt with
by council and the local community that’s the
way it should happen.”
He said when it is defined in a town-planning sense, it made it easier for live music to
happen.
“It’s good for a live music hub, tourism and
good for other arts as well,” Mr Johnson said.
“We are trying to propose and get funding
for the Bandstand – we want to do four concerts
one for each season. There is another program
that is happening that the Happy Valley Hippy
Shop is doing – and that’s the busking.
“But they are wanting to formalize it and
call it Be Not Afraid Live. We’re about trying
to aid the recovery and we think we have a
good thing happening.”
He said there was a petition that people
can sign on-line and at Cafe 77 and Happy
Valley Hippy Shop as well.
For more information on the proposal,
the petition and all of the programs head to
www.facebook.com/Granite-BeltMusic-Council-102266891659891/
