This groupfitness.org ebay auction for Operation M.U.S.I.C. has now ended and has raised $177.89 for the cause. Thank you to all those who bid on the autographed Les Mills clothing and hopefully this auction has increased awareness worldwide about the predicament the fitness industry faces.

Please keep supporting this cause by including a link to Operation M.U.S.I.C. and you can also donate money by using the form on their website.

Currently there is a huge threat to the existance of group exercise in Australia as PPCA makes a move to increase music tariffs (the royalty fee that is paid for the privilege of using music in group fitness classes). Therefore Operation M.U.S.I.C. has been an initiative created by Fitness Australia to fight this proposed increase, but is relying on funding and donations for the cause.

The PPCA have recently won a case against the nightclub industry and are now currently trying to propose extreme increases in the amount paid in copyright fees for group fitness classes. For more information check out operationmusic.org.au.

The worrying thing about all this is that the result in Australia could set a precedence worldwide. If they win this case in Australia which has a relatively small jurisdiction, this could be a precursor to a huge threat to group fitness worldwide.

For this reason at groupfitness.org I am now trying to increase awareness by auctioning 3 Les Mills clothing items, signed by Dan & Rach (BODYCOMBAT choreographers) with proceeds being donated directly to Operation M.U.S.I.C.

I would love everybody's help in promoting this cause, so if you have websites or blogs please feel free to link to Operation M.U.S.I.C. and the auction at groupfitness.org.

"Fitness centres that play music for group exercise classes face massive increases to copyright licence fees from the PPCA, a move that threatens the future of group exercise. The original proposed copyright price increases were in excess of 3000% more (yes, three thousand percent) than the current rate of 94c per class.

This is clearly not acceptable or affordable for the fitness industry and we need your support to fight it!"
- Operation M.U.S.I.C. (www.operationmusic.org.au)

At groupfitness.org we are going to auction three autographed pieces of clothing kindly donated by Les Mills International and signed by Dan and Rach (BODYCOMBAT® choreographers). These items are ONLINE NOW!!!!

Please register on the forum at www.groupfitness.org for updates and notification via email for the commencing and progress of this auction.

Made $27.63

Made $56.72

Made $93.54

special thanks to:

Les Mills International Les Mills Asia Pacific