This was the 2nd edition of the Awards transmitted live from the Hilton Hotel, Melbourne. Before the main titles of the show started, a pre-recorded Björn message from Stockholm was shown, filmed as same time as the four Countdown promos. The actual award show was broadcast LIVE.

Björn's message from Stockholm thanked Countdown and Australia and wished good luck to the nominees.

The show's presenter was Peter Reagen. 

Some of the award winners were:

• The Little River Band - Best Group of the Year and Album of the Year
• Sherbert - Most Popular Group
• John Paul Young - Most Popular Male Performer
• Renee Geyer - Best Vocalist

Click here for a short article from The Canberra Times - 25 February 1976, p.17

Click here for a TV listing from The Canberra Times - 3 March 1976, p.22

Björn reading the text continuously off camera

Hello there! This is Björn of ABBA speaking to you direct from - as you can see - Stockholm. This is actually ice on the water here (pointing to the lake in the background) and this is just before we leave to fly to Australia to see you all.  And as this is the National Music Industry Awards we would like to take the opportunity to thank everybody for help into the charts of Australia. Very many thanks especially to Countdown who has given us first to chance. OK, tonight we would like to wish you all nominees good luck and we look for to see you all soon.

Archive data from ABC’s public site:
ID: 272066 - NATIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY AWARDS 1976
recording date: 03-Mar-1976
duration: 60.02
location: MELBOURNE,VIC,AUSTRALIA,SWEDEN
summary: NATIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY AWARDS 1976.
THIS PROGRAM WAS TELECAST LIVE FROM THE HILTON HOTEL, COMPERED BY PETER REAGAN
personalities: BJORN ULVAEUS, ABBA SINGER;
PETER REAGAN, PRESENTER;
JULIE COSTA, QUEEN OF MOOMBA;
MELANIE SAFKA, SINGER;
SHERBET, ROCK GROUP;
TONY HOGARTH, RECORD PRODUCER;
JOHN PAUL YOUNG, SINGER;
NEIL TOWER?, PHOTOGRAPHER;
GRAEME WALKER, PHOTOGRAPHER;
RON WAY, PHOTOGRAPHER;
GRAHAM WALSH, JOURNALIST;
NEIL JAMIESON, JOURNALIST;
MICHAEL SHRIMPTON, COUNTDOWN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER;
GARY ASHLEY, REPRESENTATIVE FOR PHILLIP JUDD;
JOHNNY O'KEEF, SINGER;
ROGER DAVIS, REPRESENTATIVE FOR JOHN SAYERS;
BRIAN MAY, ABC SHOW BAND LEADER;
RENEE GEYER, SINGER;
LORRAE DESMOND, SINGER/ENTERTAINER;
GARTH PORTER, RECORD PRODUCER;
DARYL BRAITHWAITE, SHERBET SINGER;
IAN MELDRUM, COUNTDOWN TALENT COORDINATOR;
DON BURROWS, MUSICIAN;
GRAEME NEWMAN, REPRESENTATIVE FOR SEBASTIAN HARDY;
SLIM
shotlist: 00.06 MCU BJORN ULVAEUS (ABBA) FROM STOCKHOLM, THANKS TO COUNTDOWN AND AUSTRALIA, GOOD LUCK TO THE NOMINEES;
00.45 WS THE HILTON HOTEL, VO INTROS THE NATIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY AWARDS;
00.51 VS OPENING TITLES , GUESTS AND CELEBRITIES ARRIVING, VO GUESTS FEATURED;
01.44 VS AUDIENCE SEATED IN THE HILTON BALLROOM, VO INTROS HOST PETER REAGAN;
01.58 VS PETER REAGAN WELCOMES GUESTS, INTROS THE QUEEN OF MOOMBA JULIE COSTA AND MELANIE SAFKA;
03.48 VS SAFKA PRESENTS THE AWARD FOR THE MOST POPULAR GROUP TO SHERBET;
05.29 VS SAFKA PRESENTS THE MOST POPULAR FEMALE ARTIST AWARD TO MARCIA HINES, AWARD ACCEPTED BY TONY HOGARTH;
06.31 VS SAFKA PRESENTS THE MOST POPULAR MALE PERFORMER AWARD TO JOHN PAUL YOUNG;
07.00 VS REAGAN INTROS SHERBET;
07.17 VS SHERBET PERFORM SONG 'LIFE' LIVE;
10.56 VS REAGAN INTROS SPECIAL AWARDS;
11.34 VS NEIL TOWER? (PHOTOGRAPHER) PRESENTS THE HIGHLY COMMENDED POP PHOTOGRAPHER AWARD TO GRAEME WEBBER FOR HIS PHOTOGRAPH OF MARCIA HINES, AWARD FOR BEST POP PHOTOGRAPH TO RON WAY FOR HIS PHOTO OF JOE HASHAM;
14.27 CA WINNING PHOTOGRAPH;
14.31 VS REAGAN INTROS MICHEAL SHRIMPTON TO PRESENT THE BEST ALBUM SLEEVE AWARD TO PHILLIP JUDD FOR SPLIT ENZ ALBUM 'MENTALS NOTES', AWARD ACCEPTED BY GARY ASHLEY FOR JUDD;
17.37 VS REAGAN INTROS THE INDUSTRY AWARDS;
18.46 VS JOHNNY O'KEEFE TALKS ABOUT EARLY RECORDING DAYS AND PRESENTS THE AWARD FOR THE BEST ENGINEERED RECORDING TO JOHN SAYERS FOR 'LIFE', ROGER DAVIS ACCEPTS THE AWARD FOR SAYERS;
21.27 VS REAGAN INTROS BRIAN MAY TO PRESENT THE AWARD FOR THE BEST ARRANGEMENT ACCOMPANYING A VOCALIST TO RENE GEYER FOR THE SONG 'HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION';
23.59 VS REAGAN INTROS LORRAE DESMOND, IV RE HER WORK, PRESENTS THE BEST PRODUCER AWARD TO GARTH PORTER AND CLIVE SHAKESPEARE FOR THE SONG 'LIFE', ACCEPTED BY PORTER;
27.03 VS RENE GEYER PERFORM 'HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION';
31.05 VS REAGAN INTROS THE ARTIST AWARD, DARYL BRAITHWAITE, CURRENT KING OF POP PRESENTS THE AWARD TO IAN MELDRUM FOR A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE INDUSTRY;
33.13 VS REAGAN AND DON BURROWS PRESENT THE AWARD FOR THE BEST INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE TO SEBASTIAN HARDY'S TRACK 'ROSANNA', ACCEPTED BY GRAEME NEWMAN FOR HARDY;
36.00 VS JOHN PAUL YOUNG PRESENT THE BEST COUNTRY ALBUM AWARD TO SLIM DUSTY'S ALBUM 'LIGHTS ON THE HILL';
38.16 REAGAN INTROS THE LITTLE RIVER BAND (AKA LRB);
38.36 THE LITTLE RIVER BAND PERFORM 'CURIOSTY KILLED THE CAT';
42.19 VS REAGAN INTROS IAN MELDRUM TO PRESENT THE AWARD FOR THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR TO FIRSTLY SHERBET 'LIFE' THEN LITTLE RIVER BAND'S 'LITTLE RIVER BAND ALBUM', SHERBET ARE STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS AS THEY APPROACH THE STAGE;
44.06 VS REAGAN APOLOGISES FOR A FALSE START RE ANNOUNCES LITTLE RIVER BAND AS THE WINNERS, THEY ACCEPT THE AWARD;
46.07 VS COL JOYE PRESENTS THE AWARD FOR SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR TO HARRY VANDA AND GEORGE YOUNG, AWARD ACCEPTED BY CHRIS? SURNAME UNKNOWN;
49.08 VS REAGAN INTROS JOHN PAUL YOUNG;
49.25 VS JOHN PAUL YOUNG SONG 'YESTERDAYS HERO' MUSIC CLIP, THEN LIVE, YOUNG'S PLAYBACK ENDS ABRUPTLY TO YOUNG'S SURPRISE;
53.05 VS REAGAN INTROS JACK THOMPSON TO PRESENT THE AWARD FOR THE BEST GROUP PERFORMANCE TO LITTLE RIVER BAND FOR SONG 'CUROSITY KILLED THE CAT';
56.04 VS THOMPSON PRESENTS THE AWARD FOR THE BEST FEMALE VOCAL PERFORMANCE TO MARCIA HINES FOR SONG 'FROM THE INSIDE', AWARD ACCEPTED BY TONY HOGARTH;
57.42 VS THOMPSON PRESENTS THE AWARD FOR THE BEST MALE VOCAL PEFORMANCE TO JON ENGLISH FOR SONG 'TURN THE PAGE', AWARD ACCEPTED BY ALLAN SHEPHERD;
59.36 VS THOMPSON PRESENTS THE AWARD FOR THE BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR TO SKYHOOKS FOR THEIR ALBUM 'ALL MY FRIENDS ARE GETTING MARRIED', AWARD ACCEPTED BY RAY EVANS;
1.01.16 VS REAGAN CLOSER;
1.01.35 VS SKYHOOKS MUSIC CLIP 'ALL MY FRIENDS ARE GETTING MARRIED',
CLOSING CREDITS PART ONLY

BCU -Big close up
CU -Close up
MS -Medium shot
MCU -Medium close up
MLS -Medium long shot
LS -Long shot
WS -Wide shot
VS -Various shots

Thanks to James O'Brien c/o ABBAMAIL (no longer online) and Jozsef.