23rd Feb 2021, 4:57 PM – Senate Motions - Jobkeeper Payment - Arts and Entertainment Industry

The majority voted against a motion introduced by SA Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) it has almost been one year since COVID-19 physical distancing rules effectively shut down the arts and entertainment industry overnight,

(ii) hundreds of thousands of workers in the arts and entertainment industry have been impacted, as well as those in industries which rely on a thriving arts sector, like accommodation, hospitality and tourism,

(iii) the industry is still in crisis, with international and domestic border restrictions and social distancing rules impacting its ability to operate at full capacity and many people remain out of work, and

(iv) the arts and entertainment sector contributes about $15 billion annually to the Australian economy; and

(b) calls on the Morrison Government to:

(i) extend JobKeeper beyond 28 March 2021; and

(ii) provide an industry-specific recovery package for the arts and entertainment industry of the quantum actually required to save jobs and a generation of arts and entertainment workers.