The 2026 event has been called off after the committee found it could not comply with the federal government's new "Payday Super" reforms, which took effect from 1 July 2026. The reforms require superannuation contributions to be paid within seven business days of paying a worker — a tight turnaround that volunteer-run festivals, which pay a large number of visiting performers over a short weekend, don't have the administrative capacity to manage.
Inverloch Jazz Festival Vice President Peter Jones said the committee was forced to cancel the festival because of the newly implemented payday super rules.
The situation isn't unique to Inverloch — reporting on the change notes it's creating similar difficulties for other volunteer-run music festivals around the country.
Inverloch Jazz Festival — known as "Jazz by the Sea" — is a long-running community event on Victoria's Bass Coast, roughly two hours from Melbourne. In a normal year it brings 40+ bands and around 150 musicians into indoor venues across the seaside town over the first weekend of August, spanning traditional, contemporary, Latin and funk jazz. The 2026 lineup was to be headlined by the Michelle Nicolle Quartet.
Inverloch is a coastal village in the Bass Coast Shire of Victoria, popular for its beaches, coastal walks and relaxed seaside pace — the setting that's given the festival its "Jazz by the Sea" identity for over 30 years.
Red tape silences the music: Inverloch Jazz Festival cancelled over payday super laws — SGS&T
New super rule hits a sour note for jazz festivals — Daily Advertiser
inverlochjazzfestival.com