MEAA Media Room


WA orchestra management fail to prevent use of Dracula recording to undermine jobs

April 23, 2026 Phill Lappin MediaRoom Releases

Musicians from the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) have flagged growing concern over management’s refusal to stop a six-year-old recording of Dracula being used to undermine the work of live musicians.

The recording, which was done in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when many live performances were restricted, is now being used by the WA Ballet for their Adelaide run ...

Walkley Foundation announces new Directors and Judging Board appointments

April 20, 2026 Phill Lappin MediaRoom Releases

The Walkley Foundation for Excellence in Journalism today announced the appointment of five new board directors, as well as five replacement members of its Walkley Judging Board.

These appointments bring fresh and exciting expertise and perspectives to the Foundation, and include Bridget Brennan, Nadine Garner, Nour Haydar and David Ross, who join the Foundation’s board of directors, alongside new Walkley Judging ...

ABC staff win better pay deal and improved conditions following successful action

April 1, 2026 Devayani Sathe MediaRoom Releases

The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) welcomes ABC management’s acknowledgement that ABC staff need fair pay and secure employment to do their jobs through its revised offer presented to workers today.

MEAA Chief Executive, Erin Madeley, described the offer – which includes a 10.5% pay increase over three years (with year one backdated to Oct 2025), and improved pay-band progression ...

ABC staff to take industrial action in fight for quality jobs

March 23, 2026 Phill Lappin #MEAAMedia MediaRoom Releases

ABC staff have voted overwhelmingly in favour of protected industrial action – including a 24-hour strike planned to commence at 11am AEDT on Wed 25 March – in a bid to secure sustainable jobs, fair pay and improved working conditions, and to protect the quality news and programming Australians rely on. 

Close to 1,000 staff participated in the ballot, with over 90 per cent voting in favour ...

Musicians’ livelihoods under threat as live orchestra dumped from upcoming Adelaide run of Dracula

March 19, 2026 Phill Lappin MediaRoom Releases

Musicians across the country have banded together to protect live music in the wake of a decision by West Australian Ballet to scrap live orchestra music from the upcoming Adelaide tour of the award-winning Dracula.   

 WA Ballet, which has had a long-running partnership with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra to perform live at its productions, will instead rely on recorded music for six shows to be held at the Adelaide Festival Centre in April. 

 Represented by the Media Entertainment & ...