Hundreds of Mindil Beach Casino Resort jobs on the line as JobKeeper comes to an end

HUNDREDS of workers are in limbo at the Mindil Beach Casino Resort as the business faces losing out on the federal government’s JobKeeper subsidy in two weeks.

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HUNDREDS of workers are in limbo at the Mindil Beach Casino Resort as the business faces losing out on the federal government’s JobKeeper subsidy in two weeks.

Delaware North, the operator of the Mindil Beach Casino Resort, has confirmed it is reviewing the impact on staff numbers at the property when it will no longer qualify for the scheme from September 28.

The casino, which is the largest private enterprise employer in Darwin with 650 staff, has been hit hard by the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

In late March, the casino resort was forced to close for 11 weeks.

An easing of NT government restrictions enabled the casino section to re-open in June, but other parts of the property, including the 152 hotel and resort rooms, have remained closed. Since remobilisation, nearly 400 staff have been back at work at the property.

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General manager Mark Bennett told the NT News the loss of interstate and overseas visitors meant the business was trading well below pre-pandemic levels.

“While the JobKeeper wage subsidy has assisted Mindil Beach Casino Resort, enabling us to continue to pay many of our employees’ wages during this unprecedented downturn, from September 28, Mindil Beach Casino Resort will cease to qualify for the JobKeeper wage subsidy,” he said.

“The company is working to determine how this will affect our employees who haven’t returned to work.

“The United Workers Union is a valued external stakeholder of Mindil Beach Casino Resort and we are in consultation with them and will work closely with them throughout the process.

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“This is an incredibly tough period for everyone at Mindil Beach Casino Resort and we are continuing to do everything we can to minimise the level of uncertainty and look after our valued team members.”