I think the levy debate is obscuring the real problem. Levies, historically, have never been more than an ancillary support for artists. The levies could and should have been a fraction of what the artists were able to make, whether through touring or selling their high-value assets.
I believe the drive for levies is a reflection of just how bad it is, but it will not solve the problem. We have no issue with levies if, for example, they were applied to private copies of legally obtained music; it's where we throw the gates open and in effect destroy the ability for people to earn a living.