Music industry bodies welcome support packages, but call for more to be done for live sector

ARIA, PPCA and APRA AMCOS have commended the Federal, NSW and Victorian Governments for extending business support packages to provide relief to music industry workers around the country.

The payments will allow for both businesses and sole-traders impacted by the recent lockdowns to receive financial aid, with previous packages excluding many music industry workers on the basis of business ineligibility.

Businesses will also be able to apply for more monetary support via the JobSaver initiative to assist in maintaining cash flow and staff numbers throughout lockdown.

The three organisations have also welcomed the extension of the payments to provide further support to those on welfare, urging other State Governments to liaise with industry bodies to ensure music workers are sufficiently supported during this time.

APRA AMCOS CEO, Dean Ormston, said that the JobSaver expansion and increased payment amounts for businesses was “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,” Ormston said.

ARIA & PPCA’s CEO, Annabelle Herd, made note of the ongoing struggle facing many employees within the music industry and rallied for further support to be granted to the country’s live sector.

“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,” Herd said.

“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.”