Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Sterle and Bilyk, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that:

  (i) arts and entertainment was one of the first Australian industries to be impacted by the restrictions on gatherings introduced in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, with the cancellation of exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances, festivals and other events,

  (ii) this has threatened the livelihoods of 50,000 professional artists and the 600,000 workers that support them,

  (iii) many artists are ineligible for existing economic support measures such as JobKeeper Payment despite losing 100 percent of their income,

  (iv) the Australian Government's $27 million funding package and other minor support measures fall far short of what is needed to save this $111 billion industry from financial disaster, and

  (v) despite admitting that they are spending $60 billion less on supporting Australian workers through this crisis, the Australian Government continues to refuse to provide the support the arts and entertainment industry needs; and

(b) calls on the Australian Government to provide a tailored support package for the arts and entertainment industry, in consultation with the industry, which is substantial enough to ensure that artists, arts organisations, arts industry workers and their families can survive financially through the COVID-19 crisis.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All of us who care about the arts in Australia find it distressing to see museums and galleries closed, productions halted and artists, performers and workers out of work. The government's substantial economic support across the economy is providing critical support for the cultural and creative sector. Based on Treasury data from the first month, more than 25,000 workers in the creative and performing arts subdivision received a JobKeeper payment in its first month of April with total payments of $76 million. This is one of the sectors heavily affected, and rightly it's being supported.

Question agreed to.