GOVERNMENT SPENDS JUST ONE QUARTER OF ARTS FUNDING

More than a year into the COVID crisis Scott Morrison has spent just one quarter of the emergency funding he announced for Australia’s struggling arts and entertainment sector.

Mr Morrison was dragged kicking and screaming into announcing support for this industry even though it was almost completely shut down by restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

After more than 100 days of denying there was even a problem, Mr Morrison finally stood up alongside celebrities for a glitzy media event and announced a $250 million support package.

But it then took another six months before any money started flowing, even as the entire industry teetered on the brink of collapse.

And under questioning from Labor senator Nita Green in estimates hearings public servants have revealed only $65.4m of the $250m has actually gone to the people who need it.

With the funding due to end in June it’s clear the government won’t spend anywhere near the $250m it said it would.

This is a sector that employs hundreds of thousands of Australians. These are workers who are hurting and they need help. They’ve been needing help for more than a year.

Many arts and entertainment workers were not eligible for JobKeeper because of the way the government deliberately designed it. They refused Labor’s pleas and amendments to fix it.

Those arts and entertainment workers who did get JobKeeper will lose it in the coming days, even though the industry has not recovered. Social distancing restrictions remain in place across the country and the threat of border closures has made many tours impossible.

These are viable businesses. The only reason they can’t function is because of government health restrictions. The government has a responsibility to help them get to the other side of this crisis.

But right now people are leaving the industry. Venues are closing and more are likely to follow in the coming weeks and months. And Mr Morrison doesn’t appear to care at all.

Mr Morrison got some headlines when he announced this support – but he hasn’t delivered. As usual, he’s always about the photo-op but he never actually follows up.

WEDNESDAY, 24 MARCH 2021