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Id ask the question: what kind of a business are you running from an organisational perspective?

If youre running a festival, do you have security guards that have a process? And are they briefed on that process? So if a patron comes to the security guard they know exactly what to do to protect the patrons at your event.

Jaguar Jonze was speaking at AIRs annual Indie-Con conference last week on a panel called Code of Conduct For The Music Industry.

She was joined by fellow musician Kira Puru, Chapter Music founder Guy Blackman, Eleven: A Music Companys John Watson and Bonnie Dalton, the General Manager of the Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO).

Gathered together virtually last Friday (October 2nd) the panel was moderated by this journalist and was a conversation about our future, about how we can make the music industry a better and safer place.

Jaguar Jonze, AKA Deena Lynch, was largely the impetus for the panel being included at Indie-Con. The work shes done alongside photographer Michelle Pitirishas been integral to progressing the Me Too movement in Australia.

She noted that organisations and events should ask themselves what kinds of safety processes they have in place. She listed safety text lines, mediation spaces and policies, safety officers, a feedback system, a reporting system using open communication channels, staff training, culture management, and much more.

What kind of culture are you facilitating in your company? she questioned, before speaking on personal accountability. [] How are you contributing to the culture around you?

Bonnie Dalton, who currently works with the Victorian Govt at VMDO to help grow the prosperity of Victorian music businesses, has previously worked in artist management, tour management, events (like Laneway and Falls Festival), production and programming.

Dalton brought to attention the fact that there are laws against many of the things that make this industry unsafe. She said the Australian Human Rights Commission is a great place to start to either find out more or report behaviour.

Theres a campaign [from the AHRC] called Know The Line that really deals with a lot of what were talking about, said Dalton. I think the point is that its not just a music industry thing and its certainly something that is societal.

To give it the weight that its in the Human Rights Commission and its also in all the state police department websites This isnt just for the music industry to come up with a line that we feel comfortable with.

Later in the panel discussion, Kira Puru detailed her experience with call out culture upon the release of her single Idiot. She (and this writer also) was not aware aware that the word Idiot is offensive ableist language. Puru said shes always open to conversations that lead to personal development.

Its just the way that I am naturally, to welcome those conversations. Im not particularly interested in living in an echo chamber where Im surrounded by people that have the same beliefs as me, said Puru. Whenever Im challenged by something Ive done or said, I like to at least create a platform for them to bring that conversation to the table.

Meanwhile, Guy Blackman had an illuminating anecdote of his own. The co-head of the label Tone Deaf once called almost unequivocally the most treasured record label in Australia previously had an issue where an artist on the roster was accused of abuse.

Blackman and Ben OConnor, his partner in life and business at Chapter Music, run a queer, female and people of colour-friendly label and management firm, and his handling of the situation stood out as a golden standard.

We tried to instigate an accountability process, and it came to a situation where the artist wasnt willing to engage with this process, Blackman said.

[] I think its very important to be guided by the victim, he added. [] when we met a point where it looked like accountability wasnt going to be a possibility, we stopped working with the artist straight away. And we stated that we would donate any proceeds from recordings they were involved with to charity.

John Watson is renowned for the sage advice and intel he offers on panels thanks to his experience developing and exporting acts like Midnight Oil, Silverchair, Gotye, and Missy Higgins and his contribution at Indie-Con was no different.

When speaking of how artists as individuals can shift this music industrys power balance he said:

A&R people are looking for reactivity, theyre looking for audience. So instead of the artist thinking, oh my god I really need to impress the A&R guy Screw the A&R guy or girl.

All theyre really looking for is audience, he added. Put your energies on your audience, make good authentic music and other forms of communication, and grow your audience so that the A&R person has to come to you. And when they do, youve got hand. In a power sense, youve removed that power imbalance.

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Jaguar Jonze at Indie-Con: What kind of culture are you facilitating in your company? - The Industry Observer