The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM (16:36): I move:

(1)That this House notes that on 22 November 2023 this House unanimously supported a motion moved by the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham, MLC, which called on the Government to:

(a)recognise AC/DC as New South Wales' and Australia's most successful, and one of the world's most popular, performing artists; and

(b)construct a permanent public memorial that recognises the achievements of AC/DC and commemorates their globally significant musical and cultural contribution over the past 50 years.

(2)That this House further notes that in February 2025 in response to questions in a budget estimates hearing regarding the construction of a public memorial honouring AC/DC and the Young family, the Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, said, "I know the Youngs. I love AC/DC. Perhaps I could take it on notice, but it sounds like a good idea."

(3)That this House calls on the New South Wales Premier and the State Government to take action to enact the resolution passed by this House and the public commitment the Premier has made to ensure that the greatest cultural and music export from this nation, the greatest rock'n'roll band in the history of the known universe, is appropriately recognised by way of a significant and prominent public memorial in the city and State from which they rose to conquer the world.

It is a long way to the top if you want to rock'n'roll and, disappointingly, it is clear that it is an even longer way to appropriate and overdue public recognition for the greatest rock'n'roll band on this planet, the most successful musical and cultural phenomenon to grow out of this city, State and nation: AC/DC. It is time we recognise the Young family and the brothers Malcolm and Angus, who formed the band that went on to spectacular but hard‑earned global success. Their incredible songwriting, masterful musicianship and boundless creativity transformed popular music and conquered the world.

The Young brothers are a quintessentially Australian suburban Sydney story. From immigrant roots in Villawood to a bedroom in Burwood, to stardom and the very, very top, on any metric the Youngs' and AC/DC's achievements are incredible: over 200 million in record sales; the highest selling and greatest comeback album of any recording group ever, Back In Black; number ones all over the world, including the United States, for their albums and singles; inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and some of the highest grossing tours of all time. They headlined one of the largest concerts in history, the Monsters of Rock. They won Grammy and ARIA awards. The list goes on and on.

Yet, in this city, duck egg—almost zero—to commemorate them. There is only a nice mural of the Youngs in the backstreets of Burwood whilst there is a statue of Brian Johnson in Belgium, Bon Scott in Freo, and AC/DC Lane in Melbourne. Other great cities embrace their roots and successes. Liverpool has incredible monuments and tributes to The Beatles. Too often when I have raised this issue I have heard scoffs or it has even been treated like a joke. Well, it is not a joke. And if it is, the joke is on this city, who has lauded lesser known and less impactful artists and athletes but, due to cultural cringe, turned up its nose at pub rock, bogan music and its rough‑and‑ready sons.

But enough said. It is time this city and this Government recognises and embraces AC/DC and the Youngs by way of a significant permanent public memorial in a place of honour that recognises the incredible achievements of these men and their band over 50 years and the enormous joy they and their unbelievable music have brought to billions of people all over the globe. It would be a monument that recognises the incredible pride that so many of us in this country have that this is our music, Australian music, loud, raw, tight and rocking; our band, tough, irreverent, cheeky; and our boys, Australia's distinct and influential rock'n'roll music larrikins.

We demand a monument that gives those of us who love the band—many of us working class, not always angels or sometimes from the wrong side of the tracks—a place to go, a cheap day out with family or friends, and a place of pilgrimage to pay our respects and show our love for the music that is the soundtrack of our lives and that has lifted our spirits when life has been hard and mean. Again, I call on the Premier and the Government to support our call for a monument and place to pay our respects to AC/DC. We salute our rock icons.

I and my colleague Glenn Smith have—very handily for the Government—prepared two documents with proposed monuments. I have already presented them to the Premier and the Minister. I seek leave to table the documents for the benefit of the House and all members.

Leave granted.

Documents tabled.

The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: We have been doing a lot of research in this area and there are fantastic places in this city where we could place the monument. I believe one of the best places is Victoria Park in Camperdown. It is a big, open public space close to our entertainment precincts. It is near the Lansdowne, where AC/DC played. They also played on the roof of the pool at one point. That area is well suited to large gatherings. It is open and has the perfect amenity for a monument that will attract tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of people a year from across the country.

The Hon. Natalie Ward: Many more.

The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: I acknowledge the interjection. In due course, it will attract people from all over the world, because people from all over the world go to Liverpool to look at the monuments to the Beatles. They will do that for AC/DC. The time has come to recognise our hard-rocking sons.

The Hon. MARK LATHAM (16:41): The House should know that I did give forewarning to the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham that I would be taking him on with this nonsense motion. Unlike the last occasion when I gave him forewarning over a nonsense motion, he has actually turned up in the Chamber. On that occasion I had to move his nonsense motion for him just to put on a blue. How hard is it to get a stoush in this place? But today he has turned up. I congratulate him on that front. I make a point of clarification: I am from Liverpool and we have never honoured the Beatles. We spend our money in productive ways rather than on ageing dinosaur rock‑and‑roll millionaires, which is what this proposal is about.

The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham wants to build a monument. Why does he hate Camperdown? Why would he want to put a monument there? AC/DC can fund it themselves. They could buy half of Camperdown and put up as many monuments as they like. The motion is nonsense for the simple reason that the honourable member seeks to honour a band universally mocked with its greatest hit, "It's a long way to the shop if you want a sausage roll." Seriously, that is how they are known in Western Sydney. It is a bit like Woodstock. I was part of the rock‑and‑roll spectator scene in Western Sydney in the 1970s and 1980s. If you remember it, you weren't really there, and I have a vague memory of what went on. Where was AC/DC at that pantheon of rock and roll, the Stardust Hotel in Cabramatta? They were nowhere to be seen. Where were they at Scaramouche? Where were they at that dive up in Lansvale? My memory is so blurry, I cannot remember its name. But AC/DC were not there.

If we are going to build a monument to honour the true, brave, courageous heroes of rock and roll, then we should be honouring the bands who actually turned up at the Stardust and took us on—a rough audience that was even rougher in the car park. What is wrong with the Radiators and some of their great hits? Or Mi‑Sex, Split Enz or Cold Chisel? I think there was even a night when we saw that budding Federal politician, Peter Garrett, and Midnight Oil at the Stardust in Cabramatta. Where is old baldy's monument? The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham has not answered those questions with his nonsense motion. I do not know why he is so addicted to AC/DC. He is probably confused. Most of us think the letters AC and DC are to do with electricity and voltage; he thinks it is "A Cannabis" and "Duh Cannabis" and something to do with his party.

The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham is so astray on this. Has anyone seen those young brothers today? It is a sad case when some blokes just need to know when to quit. They are decrepit and falling apart. Angus Young is in hospital at the moment. Forget about a monument; we need to put him on life support because he has knocked himself around that badly. It is a miracle he is still alive. The last thing he needs is a monument. Seriously, they could fund it themselves. The last thing he needs is support from the honourable member. If you did not turn up at the Stardust, you do not deserve a cracker.

The Hon. JOHN GRAHAM (Special Minister of State, Minister for Transport, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy) (16:44): I think the Hon. Mark Latham is being too harsh on the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham. The Government supports the motion. New South Wales has not always done a great job of celebrating its music history or icons—and that, honestly, shakes me all night long. Yesterday, when the issue was discussed in question time, I reiterated that the Government wants to change that. Sound NSW is exploring the best way to celebrate icons like AC/DC and we intend to do so in consultation with the band and their family members. I agree with the Hon. Mark Latham that people often refer to "the long way to the shop if you want a sausage roll", but that mocking approach is also a great part of the Australian tradition, along with the music. In 2020 I spoke in this Chamber about needing to recognise our Indigenous music tradition, our early contemporary music venues, the wave of venues lost to the lockouts and the artists fighting to save our grassroots music scene. That is why the NSW Contemporary Music Strategy includes a project on our State's music history.

From Burwood to Tamworth, New South Wales is home to murals of AC/DC and Kamilaroi artist Kid Laroi, the world-famous Big Golden Guitar and the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame. Beyond our busy cities, you will find a plaque in Walgett commemorating the life of Yorta Yorta musician Jimmy Little, whose career spanned six decades. But more has to be done. You really have to look quite hard to find echoes of our music history. We are actively working to foster the next AC/DC in New South Wales. We have backed Michael's Rule, which incentives big international acts to book Aussie supports.

I recognise AC/DC for putting rising Aussie band Amyl and the Sniffers on the bill for their forthcoming tour later in the year. We have backed the grassroots music scene by incentivising music venues to stage live music. That has seen the number of registered music venues in the State triple since the election. We have fixed the noise complaints system so single serial noise complainants can no longer move in next door to the pub and then campaign to close it down if they do not like the sound of the next Angus Young shredding on the stage.

The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham: Lee Rhiannon's law.

The Hon. JOHN GRAHAM: I acknowledge the interjection. We have helped venues with soundproofing grants so the next Brian Johnson can scream his lungs out. Across the State we are rolling out special entertainment precincts. We are keen to see the next AC/DC grace our stages. We want to respect the legends of the past and work with the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham to do that. We have to work with the band and the family. That will not be as quick as the member might like. But I am glad he has raised the issue. The Government supports the motion.

The Hon. JACQUI MUNRO (16:47): The Opposition supports this excellent motion. We are always happy to hold the Government to account on its promises. If you were born in 1973 onwards, you were born into an AC/DC era. I was lucky enough to join the world in theThunderstruck era in 1990. Bring on the singlets, the mullets, the well-fitted blue jeans, a grown man in a school uniform and the flat caps. Thanks to the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham, I spent a decent chunk of last night listening to AC/DC's classics:Highway to Hell,You Shook Me All Night Long,Hells Bells,Back in Black andDirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap—the riffs, the beats and the voice.

Then I got on to listening to bangers from Aussie bands that were deeply influenced by AC/DC's legacy and have said so proudly and publicly. The band was such a solid base for our incredible Aussie rock scene to launch from. They include acts that I have loved to see live like Wolfmother and Jet, and bands like Powderfinger, Silverchair and, more recently, the Chats, as well as ARIA award winners King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Amyl and the Sniffers, who have been mentioned and who are opening for AC/DC on their tour this year. The international acts that cite the band as inspiration include Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Megadeth and Metallica, who are also coming to Australia. I am seeing them this year.

The AC/DC global legacy began when they launched their unique pre-metal hard rock with a bit of blues sound. The thing about music revolutionaries is that they seem normal today but at the time, when they were brand new, no-one had heard a sound like theirs—the creativity, courage, free expression and raw power of sound to get people out and bring them together. When Malcolm and Angus Young started the band, in Sydney, they were drawing on international heavyweights like The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones and The Who, and great harmonies, electric guitar motifs and drums that are heavy on the snare. Like all good Aussie talents, we have claimed them as locals, even though they were born overseas—incidentally in my ancestral homeland, Scotland. I learnt today that I share the experience of playing a gig in the same iconic Sydney venue the Lansdowne.

The Hon. Mark Latham: What about the Stardust?

The Hon. JACQUI MUNRO: I have not played at the Stardust, unfortunately. The young brothers and the family started their life in Australia living in the Villawood Migrant Hostel and ended up at 4 Burleigh Street, Burwood, in 1965, which was, unfortunately, demolished at the end of last year—much to the consternation of the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham, who has raised it in this Chamber. The Coalition has a proud history of supporting live music, and we were excited about the trial of special entertainment precincts in Enmore that the Minister referred to, and which have now extended across the State. We are happy to support the member's call for the Premier to make good on his commitment to commemorate AC/DC's iconic legacy with a public memorial.

The Hon. JOHN RUDDICK (16:50): The Libertarian Party supports the motion with enthusiasm. We believe that public memorials and statues are important for our civic sense but they should be reserved for special individuals. At the end of this street, we have a nice memorial of Matthew Flinders. He was the first guy to circumnavigate Australia, so he deserves that. The memorial to Lachlan Macquarie is at the other end of the street. He was a fine governor. We want to reserve the honour for important people. Clearly, AC/DC is extremely important. Probably two dozen Australian bands in the past 50 years have become well known overseas, including Kylie Minogue, INXS, Midnight Oil and Split Enz, but AC/DC is in its own category.

The mover said they sold 200 million albums, which is absolutely right. They have the fourteenth biggest selling album in the history of the planet. So it would be derelict of New South Wales not to have an impressive memorial or recognition of AC/DC, and I agree that it would be very good for tourism. One of the things I really love about ACDC is that the music is so unique and rare, but the band members were not like most music stars. They were not celebrities. We did not know about their private lives. They did not tell us how they voted. They were not interested in that. They were interested only in producing unique, powerful, fantastic music. So my only little suggestion is that this thing be publicly funded.

I went to an AC/DC concert at the Olympic Stadium 15 years ago. There were 100,000 people there. I think we all paid at least 100 bucks. That is 10 million bucks. So the supporters were prepared to hand over $10 million. The Hon. Mark Latham was right to say that the members of AC/DC are wealthy, but you cannot ask people to fund their own memorial. That is a little bit out of place. So I encourage the mover, the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham, to look into a GoFundMe page. Hopefully, the Government can be cooperative on this. Maybe if someone donates more than $500, they could have their name inscribed down the bottom—if we are going to do it, we may as well do it big. I can really see people coming to Australia just to see the AC/DC memorial. The Libertarian Party enthusiastically endorses the motion.

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (16:53): I support the motion because AC/DC not only played music; they created anthems that defined Australia to the world. From the first riffs of High Voltage, you knew you were not in for a quiet night. They were loud, bold and entirely unapologetic. And, in being so, they became one of our greatest cultural exports. Their songs told stories of working hard, living fast and never backing down. They gave voice to people who did not always see themselves reflected in polite society, and they did it with guts, grit and a thunderous beat. For those of us about to rock, we salute you. That is what this memorial is: a salute and a lasting tribute to a band who gave us not just a sound but also an identity. They were TNT. They were dynamite. And they made sure the world knew where they came from.

It is only right that the city and the State that raised them recognises their place in our story. A public memorial would honour not only five blokes with musical instruments but also decades of energy, expression and rebellion that helped shape modem Australian music. It is a long way to the top if you want to rock'n'roll, and AC/DC made it all the way. It is time we made sure there is a place, here at home, that marks just how far they went. Let us build something bold, something loud, something fitting—because legends like AC/DC do not come around often. When they do, they deserve to be remembered.

Ms CATE FAEHRMANN (16:53): I feel unenthusiastic about this motion, just as, in the '70s, when I was a young girl, I was not enthusiastic about AC/DC. I was quite enthusiastic about ABBA but not AC/DC. AC/DC was, potentially, good for the time. People loved them, but I think that they need to stay in the 1970s. I hope that many of their lyrics stay in the 1970s. For example, AC/DC's song Givin' the Dog a Bone compares in detail a woman giving oral sex to being a dog with a bone. The lyrics read:

She's using her head again.

I'm just a-giving the dog a bone.

Another one is Let Me Put My Love Into You, with the words:

Don't you struggle.

Don't you fight.

Don't you worry because it's your turn tonight.

Let me cut your cake with my knife.

There are quite a few more. But there is one song that does belong in 2025 in this Parliament and, probably, this Chamber, which is "dirty deals done dirt cheap". That is what we can celebrate. That is AC/DC. That is the song that will never go out of fashion in this place. Hopefully, all the other tracks will. Let us just keep them back in the '70s. Let us honour other icons. Frankly, this would be a waste of time and taxpayers' money.

The Hon. EMILY SUVAAL (16:57): I am excited to support this motion and speak about one of the most influential—or the most influential, if you ask the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham—rock bands on the planet. AC/DC was formed here in Sydney, by Angus and Malcolm Young, and has left a permanent mark on the music scene in New South Wales. Members of this place would know that "AC/DC" is derived from the electrical terms "alternating current" and "direct current", although I gather that a few members of this Chamber were not paying attention to science in high school. The good news is that AC/DC's educational value does not end there. Treasurer Mookhey seems to have taken personal inspiration from Back in Black as he works to cut down the record debt we inherited from the previous Government. You cannot say the words "back in black" without then thinking immediately of the opening guitar riff from that song, which I guarantee to now be in everyone's head. But the Opposition knows that it is a long way to the top.

This Government has not been "systems down" about recognising the heroes of music in New South Wales. New South Wales is home to some of the country's largest and most prestigious music awards. Every November the State hosts the Australian Recording Industry Association awards. In January the Golden Guitar awards are the pinnacle of the country music calendar. Diverse, emerging artists are celebrated at Free Broadcast Inc. Radio Sydney Music, Arts and Culture awards. The Government's Contemporary Music Strategy commits to delivering a music prize so that established and breakthrough artists can be recognised and rewarded.

Exhibitions at our cultural institutions are also part of the puzzle. In 2023 Unpopular at the Powerhouse Museum explored the music scene in the '90s, curated by promoter and label founder Stephen "Pav" Pavlovic. The Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy spoke about the commitment to research and do more to recognise music history in this State. There are many legends, from Johnny O'Keefe and INXS to the Divinyls and Midnight Oil. The project will be answering questions like: What sorts of music movements have been unique to our State? Who are our icons—and whether they are the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham? What commemorative initiatives would be most meaningful? How do we best recognise the incredible history of Indigenous music and musicians? I am sure that members might have suggestions and personal views, and I am sure the Minister would be happy to receive their text messages day and night.

The Hon. NATALIE WARD (17:00): I also speak in support of the motion. I acknowledge and agree with the comments made by Ms Cate Faehrmann. There could potentially be an amendment to the motion to have a statue dedicated to fantastic Australian women's music, but I move on. One thing that members have overlooked during the debate is the pivotal role that bagpipes play in AC/DC's songs. As the mum of a Scots College boy, I had the great joy of listening to students learning the bagpipes on hills of Bellevue Hill. It was always a pleasure when they got to utilise those skills playing AC/DC songs. Of course, Bon Scott played the bagpipes. They have never featured quite as well in any other song.

I feel that AC/DC had a calling in politics. It seems that there is an underlying theme that nobody has picked up on: They really were playing to politics when coming up with some of their songs. It's a long way to the top, but you are not quite sure if it is worth the sausage roll when you get there. Lifting the hard adjournment is a "dirty deed done dirt cheap", when we are talking about some of the things that are done during the late nights that we sit in this place. Members are like meerkats, popping up when we hear the division bells. Instead of the lovely sound of the division bells, we could have Hells Bells or T.N.T. playing to get us motivated and running to the Chamber. We could even have the statue in the forecourt of Parliament. People would come on in.

I also thought we could pivot to the transport Minister's portfolios and combine some of them. He has got a lot of titles. We could combine the night-time economy and his interest in music with his interest in trains. We could look at the opportunity for those to be combined and have the "Rock N Roll Train". It is a portfolio policy idea to get out there with the Rock N Roll Train. People could party on. Whether the train turns up or not is questionable. I note that when there are potholes and roads have not been done up by the Government, it can feel like a highway to hell. The Government needs to focus on that. It reminds us that there is more work to do. When you finally get home after a long day serving the people in Parliament, you think, "What did I do today?" You shook me all night long. The Opposition supports the motion.

The Hon. ANTHONY D'ADAM (17:03): I make a very brief contribution to the debate, just to correct the record. I like facts to be the driver of the debate. I do not know what the Hon. Mark Latham was on when he was going to the Stardust Hotel, but that would be a good location for the monument because AC/DC played at the Stardust Hotel in Cabramatta on 9 January 1975.

The Hon. RACHEL MERTON (17:03): I speak in support of the motion of the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham. It is time to "shake a leg" and build a permanent public memorial for the legends who have been on the "highway to hell" for 50 years. AC/DC is not just a band; they are pure "TNT" of cultural dynamite—the greatest rock'n'roll export in the history of the known universe. The album Highway to Hell sold seven million copies in the United States alone, and Back in Black hit 50 million worldwide, making it one of the bestselling albums ever. Formed in 1973 by the Young brothers, AC/DC has "shot down in flames" any doubt about Aussie musical talent. In February 2025 Premier Chris Minns admitted he is a fan—well, "who made who" wouldn't be?

The New South Wales music scene, with icons like AC/DC, contributes $1.2 billion annually and supports 15,000 jobs. A memorial would help power our economy. The people of New South Wales do not want any more of the Premier's "dirty deeds" with minor parties or a memorial "done dirt cheap". With the "flick of a switch" in Parliament, the Premier can throw a big party and leave the people of New South Wales "thunderstruck" with a "high voltage" memorial that can be the first step to getting the New South Wales economy "back in black". AC/DC deserves it. For those about to rock, we salute you. I commend the motion.

The Hon. PETER PRIMROSE (17:05): Very briefly, as a millennial, I say that the name AC/DC came when Malcolm and Angus were with their sister Margaret trying to name their band. She pointed to her sewing machine and said, "AC/DC." That is where the name came from. Growing up in Campbelltown, which is further south-west of Liverpool, it would have been difficult if one dared say that they did not support AC/DC. When people talk about AC/DC, I urge them to remember to call them Acca Dacca, which is what we called them.

The PRESIDENT: Pursuant to standing orders debate is interrupted to allow the mover of the motion to speak in reply.

[Business interrupted.]