I GOT THE MIAMI BLUES
Live music boss on tenterhooks in fear of COVID shutdown
A POPULAR music venue boss says Queensland Health COVID protocol checks have left her more uncertain for the future now than at the pandemic height. “I can’t say it’s anything less than bullying when (they) call,” Miami Marketta’s Emma Milikins says.
THE founder of a top Gold Coast live music venue is accusing Queensland Health of “bullying” over social distancing gripes - and fears a devastating shutdown is imminent.
Hard on the heels of ex-Coast venue NightQuarter’s forced closure when health authorities and police stormed the relocated Sunshine Coast site on Friday, Miami Marketta’s Emma Milikins said the industry was riddled with uncertainty.
She is on edge for Marketta’s immediate future after a Queensland Health call requesting her COVID-19 policies - she told the Bulletin she knew the call was prompted due to facing a complaint.
“I said it would be great if it was transparent. If we could sit with that person (who complained) and they can explain their fears, we can try and fix it.”
Queensland Health have a complaint-driven policy, calling a venue if a patron raises a concern - and then checking venue policies to ensure they are following protocol.
“There is a new nervousness in the industry with the health department,” Ms Milikins said.
“I’m more nervous now than I was this time last year when we were in the pandemic.
“It starts to mess with your mental health because it feels like your industry doesn’t mean anything to people.
”And then you go ‘Why am
I risking all of this to feel like this’. It’s such a tricky time.”
Ms Milikins said no COVID specific plan existed for live music venues. At Marketta, it had two separate sets of protocols - one for the day-time market day and one for live shows based on square metre rules
But she said her phone experience with Queensland Health made her feel “worthless”, calling it “heavy-handed”.
“I can’t say it’s anything less than bullying when Queensland Health call up, I don’t know if it’s their tactic.
“I just said ‘You don’t need to talk to me like that, what am
I doing wrong?’,” she said.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said: “We understand the owner may have been frustrated we could not reveal the identity of the complainant. Queenslanders can rest assured we will not breach their privacy.
“We have a responsibility to follow up with a business when we receive a complaint from the public about not adhering to public health directions. The business has not been shut down, fined or issued a formal warning, and all communications have been very amicable.”
Ms Milikins, who started
Marketta 10 years ago, said she felt all her work was for nothing.
Ms Milikins said her Queensland Health experience worried her especially as Marketta was funding a Miami Street Art Surface Festival on July 11.
“The street component wont be affected (if Marketta is shut down) but it’s a self-funded festival,” Ms Milikins said.
“The idea was we will pay for the artists by the events at Marketta and if it is taken away we will have no funding.
Music stars are petitioning for the State Government to end a double standard on rules for live music and live sport.