The Music Victoria Awards, a major event in Australia’s music industry, has been canceled for 2025 due to issues surrounding voter fraud discovered in 2024. The fraud involved “unknown assailants” who manipulated votes in five out of six public categories during last year’s ceremony, leading to false results.
In response, Music Victoria made the decision to suspend the awards for 2025 after a period of careful reflection, consultation, and feedback. The organization emphasized that this decision is part of a reassessment process aimed at reimagining the awards to better reflect Victoria’s diverse music community and to ensure financial sustainability.
CEO Fiona Duncan explained that the suspension is a “short-term action” to allow the organization to build a more robust and sustainable future for the awards. Duncan also mentioned the importance of collaborating with the community to shape the next phase of the awards, highlighting their commitment to supporting and celebrating Victorian music in meaningful ways.
While the cancellation may be disappointing for fans and artists, Music Victoria expressed appreciation for the community’s understanding as they work through these changes to improve the integrity and future of the awards.