ARIA, PPCA and APRA AMCOS commend extended support for NSW and Victorian business and workers
ARIA, PPCA and APRA AMCOS welcome the NSW and Victorian business support package expansion announced by the Federal, New South Wales and Victorian Governments on Wednesday, 28 July 2021.
The expanded payments, which offers support for both employing businesses and non-employing businesses including sole-traders, will ensure financial aid is provided to many additional workers within the Australian music industry who were previously excluded from accessing support due to ineligibility.
The increased payments to workers and the supplement payments to those receiving Centrelink payments are also much welcome and will help to ensure more artists and music industry workers can get through this lockdown. We urge all governments to continue coordinating with industry so that individuals do not fall through gaps in support.
APRA AMCOS Chief Executive, Dean Ormston, said: “The expansion of eligibility for JobSaver, in addition to an increase in the cap accessible to businesses, is something the Australian music industry has desperately needed. Many of our hard working members and colleagues across the industry have been left ineligible for support on the basis of employment technicalities, leaving them to face a very scary reality.”
ARIA PPCA Chief Executive Officer, Annabelle Herd, said "These announcements are very welcome to music industry workers but focus must now turn to further support to help bring confidence back to live music as we come out of lockdowns. This COVID uncertainty and instability is going to continue for many months post-lockdowns and without a government backed insurance scheme to underwrite some of the risk in putting on live music events it is going to be a very quiet summer.”