Guy Sebastian: ‘I was used as a prop by the Government’ for controversial arts funding roll out

Singer Guy Sebastian says he copped a major backlash after being linked to the Prime Minister’s $250m arts rescue package.

Exclusive: Singer Guy Sebastian has blasted the Federal Government for using him as a “prop” for their botched arts industry funding.

Sebastian posed with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in June last year, in an unpaid role, to announce a $250 million emergency relief package for the arts sector.

However Sebastian said he copped immense backlash from industry colleagues disappointed by the funding roll out.

“I was used as a prop by the Government to stand there and deliver an arts package but who is it helping?,” Sebastian told News Corp.

“I stood there because I genuinely thought something would happen. I’d rung all my muso friends, asked for their suggestions, and I relayed them on that Zoom call to the Prime Minister.

Guy Sebastian has spoken out about his role in the Government’s arts bailout. Picture: Supplied

“I’ve asked for updates, everything they gave me was about the RISE grant and things have been allocated to (charity) Support Act. But no one seems to have followed through on their words or had any plans for insurance for people putting on musicals or concerts. It’s not working, obviously.”

The star of The Voice admits he’s been lucky to have TV work as a second income stream during the pandemic, unlike his peers who are all struggling with cancelled gigs and no live work.

“I’m not speaking from an uneducated platform. I’ve directly watched the musicians in my band be in a position now where there’s no Government help, no JobKeeper, no finance. What are they going to do?”

Sebastian, who was also savaged online, said he “doesn’t really trust” that the Government can improve the situation.

Guy Sebastian is the now the Scott Cam of the music world.

— David Caldicott (@ACTINOSProject) June 25, 2020

Career-damaging move by Guy Sebastian.

He's sold-out the Arts sector for a measly $416.66* per Arts sector worker to publicly support the Prime Minister, extremely disappointing to say the least.

He's lost me.
🐝
(*$250 million divided by 600K Arts sector workers = $416.66)

— 💧🔥🐨Bee🐝🐀PM for Sewer Rats (@BelindaJones68) June 25, 2020

Guy Sebastian’s Brand Manager rn pic.twitter.com/p3dnFobmyg

— ✨Alexandra✨ (@VIPVirtualSols) June 25, 2020

“I copped it, because I was trying to support something I believed would make a difference. And it hasn’t. So that’s on me, I made that decision, I’ll cop it, that’s fair enough. But it doesn’t mean I agree with how it’s been rolled out, I think it’s dismal.

“I’m embarrassed that I was used as a prop to push something that to be honest they haven’t done the due diligence on to make sure it’s actually getting to the people that need it. It was just a box that was ticked.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and singer Guy Sebastian last June. Pic: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

Arts Minister Paul Fletcher said the ‘Creative Economy’ Covid support package has now increased to $430 million.

“The Morrison Government recognises how tough Covid has been for performers and others in the music business, particularly when lockdowns mean venues are closed and gigs are cancelled,” Mr Fletcher said.

“We have been working closely with the music sector since Covid first hit last year, providing specific funding under several programs including the RISE program to which we have now committed a total of $200 million.

“Earlier this year we changed the RISE rules after consulting with the music sector, for example by reducing the minimum grant to $25,000 and by making it easier for many different parties involved with a tour – band, crew, manager, sound and lighting providers and others – to apply for funding.

“Already $100 million has been awarded under RISE, and the next round of funding will be announced in coming weeks.

“As well as RISE, we have now allocated over $5.6 million in grants under the first two rounds of the $20 million Live Music Australia Program. This is supporting more than 200 live music venues and the sector in their immediate recovery from the pandemic.

“We have also committed $20 million to Support Act – for the mental health of entertainers through the pandemic.”

Sebastian is hoping the arena tour for November, which he announced last September can still happen.

“Last year we thought that by the end of this year we could tour where everyone would be safe, which is obviously a priority, and be confident to go on the road again.

Guy Sebastian and Prime Minister Scott Morrison in June 2020. Pic: Matt Blyth/Getty Images

“And here we are in July, in lockdown. You’ve got shows like Hamilton, all these music festivals, just shut down. People with no clear future out of here, myself included. The last live show I’ve done was in Amsterdam 2019 and in July 2021 I’m wondering if I can tour in November. I’ve got sold out shows, hundreds of people to employ, venues to fill, all the restaurants and hotels that surround the tour economy.

“And we’re still unvaccinated and in a position where our industry still can’t plan anything. When you do, you’re stung in the arse with no insurance available for events. This industry is not founded on the ability to turn the lights back on immediately. It will be many years of recovery.”

While the singer recognised many industries are doing it tough, he was frustrated by the special treatment given to the sports industry over the arts.

“For some reason the arts industry hasn’t been treated like a normal industry. I’m a massive sports head, I’m obsessed with sport, I love my AFL and my cricket. So you can’t go and watch a live show but my little brother played footy on Saturday. 40 people on the field sweating on each other, tackling each other, spectators shoulder to shoulder. They get to the end of the game and go ‘Don’t sing the team song’ because singing is apparently unsafe.

“During this pandemic people in the arts have been made to feel like our jobs aren’t real jobs. They’re not worth considering our industry as something worth taking a risk on. But you can go and watch a football match but you can’t watch a stage where everyone is naturally socially distancing because they’re in a bloody band. They’re not sweating next to each other and touching each other. We can go on walks where everyone is passing each other by a metre, but if you sing on stage to people 30 metres away they’re going to catch Covid. It’s a mess.”

Guy Sebastian is hoping his November arena tour can still happen. Pic: Don Arnold/WireImage

Sebastian said he would get the Covid vaccine as soon as he can.

“I’m under 40, so I have to wait. But the minute I can get it, I’ll get it immediately.”

A report from the University of South Australia this week found many artists and cultural workers were not eligible for JobKeeper and JobSeeker due to their short-term employment contracts and freelance work.

Many were also unable to access any of the $90 million in loans for arts and entertainment business for new events, with more unable to repay the loan.

Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance chief executive Paul Murphy said the report showed federal government support for the arts was “woefully inadequate and too slow coming”.

“The only conclusion that can be drawn from the Morrison Government’s poor response is that it does not understand the nature of employment in the arts sector, and it does not value the enormous contribution the sector makes,” Murphy said.

ARIA and PPCA CEO Annabelle Herd said the Government need to help the music industry, with the latest restrictions putting the immediate future of live gigs in doubt.

“It’s clear that the music industry has been devastated by the current lockdowns, coming on top of eighteen months of restrictions, snap lockdowns and border closures that have meant touring has never returned to anywhere near pre-Covid levels.

“The Federal Government has provided much needed and very welcome support to date because it acknowledges the cultural and economic significance of Australian music. However, the rapidly evolving situation with the current lockdowns means that we urgently need to look at where those in the music ecosystem are falling through the cracks in support.

“We need urgent help with financial losses from postponements and we need governments to underwrite some of the risk in staging live music over the next six to twelve months to help rebuild confidence in a sector that has been gutted by Covid.”

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