MINISTER FAILS TO GUARANTEE ARTS MONEY WILL FLOW IN 2020

The Morrison Government cannot even guarantee that emergency funding for Australia’s struggling arts and entertainment sector will start flowing before the end of 2020.

Asked repeatedly on Sky News today when the money would actually start going to those who need it, Arts Minister Paul Fletcher did everything he could to avoid answering.

But eventually he cracked, saying he “expected” some of the money to be spent “before the end of the year”.
 
The COVID-19 crisis began in March.

Labor first called for a support package in March.

For more than three months the Government stubbornly insisted there was no problem and that a sector completely shut down by restrictions was somehow doing fine.

After more than 100 days they finally relented and announced a support package in June.

It has taken another six weeks for the Government to approve a set of guidelines for less than half of that package.

And now the Minister can’t even say for sure that the money will start flowing this year?

His comments come the same day he finally released guidelines for live music grants that the Government announced in March last year. That’s nearly eighteen months ago.

This is a sector that employs hundreds of thousands of Australians. These are workers who are hurting and they need help.

They certainly deserve better than this inept, dithering Government.

TUESDAY, 11 AUGUST 2020