By Liz Hobday in Melbourne

If a three-minute punk banger can’t get the message across, there’s always appearing at a parliamentary inquiry.

As with many Australian acts, Canberra rockers Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers’ international success has not translated into making a living.

Teen Jesus have won an ARIA, climbed the music charts and played stadium shows – they’ve even opened for Foo Fighters.

But the band’s members still have to work other jobs, a parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s live music scene has been told.

“We really feel strongly that artists work really hard and should be able to make a living … the music scene doesn’t make it possible to do that,” guitarist Scarlett McKahey and bass player Jaida Stephenson told a hearing in Sydney on Thursday.

The parliamentary committee is examining a crisis in Australia’s music industry, with festivals cancelled and venues closing as costs soar and performers receive minimal income from music streaming giants.

Tours bring in good money for Teen Jesus, but travel and other costs are so high merchandise sales are the only part of touring that is profitable, the musicians said.

The band was on the line-up for Splendour in the Grass before the long-running festival was cancelled in March.

Like many bands, big festivals make up a large part of their income, McKahey and Stephenson said.

They said things had reached a point where they didn’t think a big show or festival would happen until they were there.

“We kind of protect ourselves in that way,” they said.

Smaller gigs are also a challenge.

McKahey and Stephenson are from Canberra, but their favourite venue, Sideway, shut down recently and musicians have been playing in a nearby kebab shop instead, they said.

Teen Jesus received a massive boost playing their opening slot for Foo Fighters in Melbourne in 2023 and would like to see other big artists such as Swift book Australian acts on their line-ups.

The idea of a “Taylor Swift tax” – in which a levy on tickets for big international tours is funnelled into developing local acts – has also been raised repeatedly.

The US megastar’s name has been inescapable during the hearings, an exemplar of an era of “superfans” who become less open to hearing new local music.

More punk than Swift could ever be, Teen Jesus didn’t mind the mania around the US megastar’s concerts in Australia – the hype showed it’s cool to be a fan again and that people still want to see live music.

As NSW shakes off the impact of lockdowns and lockout laws, it’s impossible to measure how many live music venues have shut down.

But the state has about 795 remaining venues, 55 of them solely dedicated to live gigs, the hearing was told.

Music agencies want to double that number and it’s hoped reducing costs for running venues and offering tax incentives might help.

It’s not very punk rock, but what are you gonna do?