Word is that the ATO is mounting a crackdown on venues - specifically, their treatment of GST on door charges. At the moment, GST usually isn't charged on the door - the theory goes that the band are hobbyists, and don't have to charge GST, and the pub is just holding the cash for them.
Absolutely. And almost every band that does a gig in a pub like Rob Roy would make no money after paying the mixer and giving the pub their cut.
Maybe this will mean only bands with ABNs will be able to do gigs... Wouldn't that be interesting? If every band I've met had to go through the nightmare of getting a business set up and getting an ABN, most of them would have broken up in frustration.
Speaking of Rocknerd and cancelling gigs in Fitzroy pubs. We were randomly asked to do a gig at Laundry this Wednesday night. We'll see how that goes. It's downstairs. I hear the noise problems don't effect downstairs. We'll see.
We haven't played (at all) since mid September. This gig will be our first practice since our last gig (we're supposed to be on a break).