“The Queensland Music Awards (QMAs) exist to celebrate the extraordinary talent, creativity and contribution of Queensland’s contemporary music community.

“As the state’s peak music awards program, the QMAs are judged by more than 100 respected music industry professionals from across the country.

“Judges are independently assigned to genre categories aligned with their area of interest and assess each submission based solely on its musical and artistic merit.

“To ensure a fair and transparent process, judges are only provided with the song title, artist name and audio recording. No additional context or background information about the artist or song is shared.

“More than 500 entries were submitted to the QMAs this year across a wide range of genres. Among these, an instrumental song with no vocals or lyrics titled River to Sea was included. While we recognise that this phrase carries political connotations, the title did not stand out as divisive within the volume of songs received.

“We recognise there are learnings from this year’s event and commit to providing our members with an update on any changes ahead of next year's awards.

“We acknowledge the sensitive nature of this moment and the impact it has had on some members of our community. We do not wish for the Queensland Music Awards to be a platform for political debate. The intention of the event is, and always has been, to celebrate the work of our state’s artists and industry.

“We are deeply saddened by Brisbane City Council’s decision to revoke funding.

“We welcome the opportunity to meet with Council to discuss the matter and explore a constructive and positive path forward - one that continues to uphold the value of the arts and the importance of supporting Queensland artists.

“We have heard and acknowledge the feedback shared by members of the community in recent days. As custodians of the QMAs, we remain committed to learning from this experience and ensuring the integrity and purpose of the awards are upheld.

“Our focus now returns to what the QMAs have always stood for: celebrating the depth, diversity and brilliance of Queensland music and the artists who help shape the cultural identity of our state.”