The Victorian Liberal Nationals welcome the announcement by the Prime Minister today to help restart the creative economy.
This new $250 million federal government package will help the entertainment, arts and screen sectors rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19.
The Victorian State Government’s packages of support for the creative industries, are simply not enough.
In May the Liberal Nationals called for a $50 million Creative Industries Restoration Fund, part of our plan to get Victorians Back to Work and Back in Business.
Our plan would provide active assistance and targeted support and have called on Labor to adopt it.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today the commercial arts and entertainment sector was one of the first sectors to be impacted by COVID-19 and will be one of the last to come out of hibernation as social distancing restrictions are eased.
The cultural and creative sector employed an estimated 289,000 Victorians in 2018-19. Department of Treasury and Finance modelling shows Victoria lost over 46,500 jobs in arts/recreation or 18 per cent from 14 March to 4 April. The impact on the creative industries sector-wide is a much larger number.
The Victorian Government has a responsibility to facilitate the recovery of this sector to pre-COVID-19 employment levels by June 2021.
The COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria has been harsher than anywhere else in Australia and Daniel Andrews’ decision to not proceed opening pubs and clubs further will have the effect of damaging key sections of the arts and creative industries even more, underlining the need for further action by the Andrews Labor Government.
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Arts, David Davis:
“The Andrews Labor Government’s policies to assist the arts sector do not go far enough. Labor must adopt the Liberal Nationals policy for a $50 million Creative Industries Restoration Fund.
“My sincere thanks go to the Prime Minister and Minister Fletcher for today’s announcement.
“Daniel Andrews, it’s high time you stepped up and better supported this vital and hard hit sector of the Victorian economy.”
