2021-03-10
The Greens are calling on the Morrison Government to provide targeted support to the arts and entertainment industry, together with the Covid Tourism Package expected to be announced this week before JobKeeper is cut off.
Greens Spokesperson for the Arts, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“A support package for the tourism industry is welcome, but it is well overdue and should be accompanied by a continuation of JobKeeper for as long as it is necessary during the pandemic.
“The Morrison Government must also announce a targeted support package for the arts and entertainment industry which works hand in hand with the tourism industry.
“Our arts and entertainment industry was the first to be shutdown by Covid restrictions and one of the last to get any assistance from the government. Then once it did, that assistance was measly and the funding programs have been well over-prescribed.
“The Morrison Government had no problem allowing the HomeBuilder scheme to blow out to $2billion to support an industry that only suffered a quarter of the job losses that arts and entertainment did.
“It’s another cruel blow for an industry that has delivered so much during the pandemic, and is still struggling to get back on its feet with domestic and international border restrictions and social distancing rules impacting its ability to operate at full capacity.
“It makes good economic sense to support an industry that contributes $112billion a year to our economy and it’s time the Morrison Government properly acknowledged that fact.”