Music, theatre, events bosses plead for vaccination passports to save arts industry

Leading arts, music and events figures say there is only one way to save the decimated industry — but it rests solely on the vaccine rollout going perfectly.

Leading arts, music and events figures are pushing for vaccine passports to be introduced – and trialled immediately – to save an industry on its knees.

Major promoters Live Nation, Chugg Entertainment and Andrew McManus, key industry groups, theatre giant Marriner Group, and bar tsar James Young, say a “no jab, no entry” policy is essential for survival.

Theatre and live music ­venues have emerged as the biggest losers after Victoria’s fifth lockdown ended but a ban on large crowds and audiences continues for at least another fortnight.

Live Nation Asia-Pacific president Roger Field said vaccine passports – an entry pass to events for inoculated people – had proven “very effective” overseas, adding: “We need to work with government and start trialling these and other initiatives here in order for the industry to get back on its feet.”

Evelyn Richardson, chief executive of Live Performance Australia, said the 400-member association was “looking closely” at vaccine passports models overseas.

“It’s dire,” she said, adding that hopes of the concert and festival touring recovering later this year had been “blown out of the water”.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is one of many musicals affected by the pandemic. Picture: Evan Zimmerman

With award-winning Harry Potter and the Cursed Child again halted, star Lucy Goleby said vaccination was the only way out of “endless lockdown”.

“In France, it’s ‘no jab, no entry’ on every place that has a door. Here, it’s like riding a merry-go-round of waiting and hoping.”

Michael Chugg, who has toured big names Coldplay, Robbie Williams and Elton John, said vaccinations were the only way out of the pandemic for the struggling industry – forced to cancel or reschedule tours weekly.

“Vaccine passports need to happen,” he said. “Unless everyone comes together on this, we’re just going to keep dealing with this crap.”

PricewaterhouseCoopers this month found the Australian music industry shrank by 39 per cent last year – a loss of around $700m.

There is a growing acceptance that, once everyone has been ­offered the jab, those who are unvaccinated may be denied entry or access to certain events and services.

Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged the possibility that vaccinated Victorians could be granted greater freedoms, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last week that he was giving states the power to enforce vaccination rules on venues by working to roll out a digital vaccine certificate.

Save Our Scene’s Simone Ubaldi, also a venue booker at Croxton Bandroom, said the popular music venue would enforce a no-vaccination, no-entry policy “the minute” the jab was available to everyone. “It is brutally unfair that anti-vax people can hold the rest of society hostage,” she said.

Those who are unvaccinated may be denied entry or access to certain events and services.

James Young, owner of Cherry Bar, Yah Yahs, and Hotel Westwood, and leader of Melbourne City Council’s night-time economy task force, called for Australia to follow the French example: “You can’t get a restaurant booking or attend a gig or sporting event without your vaccine passport”.

Andrew McManus, whose past tours included Fleetwood Mac, Kiss and Lenny Kravitz, said he supported a vaccine passport.

“Those who don’t agree with it, don’t come to the concert. Stand outside,” he said.

Marriner Group boss Jason Marriner said a vaccination pass or threshold was “the only solution” – although it would not help businesses weather the next fortnight.

“Everyday we’re closed, it gets harder,” he said.

Small Business Australia executive director Bill Lang said he would support any proposal that avoided lockdowns or heavy restrictions.

He added: “If we had some kind of passport and a venue whose staff had been vaccinated, then why not permit it to open only for those who have been vaccinated?”