Coronavirus: No extension of JobKeeper for struggling arts sector
The government has ruled out more wage subsidies for artists despite the $60 billion underspend
The Morrison government has rejected appeals to extend the JobKeeper wage subsidy to more of the struggling arts sector after a $60 billion error was revealed in the size of the COVID-19 economic rescue package.
Scott Morrison said on Sunday that he was “very mindful of the challenges in the ... creative arts area” but the government has ruled out any changes to JobKeeper eligibility that would benefit artists and arts workers who are excluded because of their employment arrangements.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told ABC Radio on Monday that some artists were covered by JobKeeper and those who were not “can’t demonstrate that they’ve had relevant falls in their revenue”.
Live Performance Australia said the arts and entertainment industry needed JobKeeper for at least another nine months and widened to include artists and arts workers who are unable to access the payment.
JobKeeper is available through to September but LPA chief executive Evelyn Richardson said it will take much longer for theatres and production companies to be back on their feet.
“Come the end of September, turning JobKeeper off is not going to enable us to restart, rebuild and recover,” Ms Richardson said. “We want to reopen our venues as soon as we can, we want people back to work as soon as we can.”
Arts Minister Paul Fletcher said the government was working on plans for the nation’s post-COVID recovery, including the arts.
“As the Prime Minister has said, the Government is very mindful of specific sectoral challenges, including in the creative arts area, and these are considerations as part of plans being worked on to support the recovery,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Over the last two months, I have engaged closely with the arts sector to understand the challenges the sector is facing. The government is focused on reopening our economy and getting Australians back to work, including getting the creative industries doing what they do best — entertaining, enriching the lives of Australians, and bringing our community together.”
The arts and entertainment industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown with cancelled performances, exhibitions, festivals and other events. Employment has dropped by 27 per cent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Ms Richardson said the industry would be slow to recover because theatres could not afford to open with less than 75 per cent of seats occupied.
“If we are at reduced capacity, we won’t be opening,” she said. “There is no way that the industry can reactivate on that basis. With physical distancing measures in place, it’s not commercially viable.”
Labor arts spokesman Tony Burke hit back at Senator Cormann, saying it was “ridiculous and insulting” to claim that artists were missing out on JobKeeper because they could not demonstrate the relevant fall in revenue.
“They’re missing out because the government designed JobKeeper in a way that deliberately excludes them,” he said. “A huge number of people in the arts and entertainment sector work gig to gig, as freelancers or as casuals on short-term contracts — so they miss out on the wage subsidy.”
Mr Burke said the screen production sector was being held back by the government’s suspension of local content quotas for drama, documentaries and children’s programs.
The availability of JobKeeper to the arts and entertainment sector is expected to be discussed by federal and state arts ministers on Tuesday.