Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before COVID-19 hit, 112,000 Melburnians attended a live music gig every weekend at many of the local venues around the city. Melbourne is the live music capital of Australia. In fact, Melbourne currently has more live music venues per capita than any other city in the world, and the live music industry generates $15.4 billion for the Australian economy and provides 65,000 jobs.

Since COVID-19, music venues are barely surviving, because the government doesn't understand the nature of the industry or what it needs to survive. Music venues have told me of the stress of paying commercial rent and insurance when the business is bringing in no income. The government's inadequate solution—a rent relief code of conduct—leaves venues vulnerable, requiring them to negotiate individually with landlords. JobKeeper's exclusion of casual and short-term workers means that it's unavailable for many in the industry. Venues worry that as restrictions ease and other businesses open they won't be able to reopen as a result of social distancing requirements. Music venues are the backbone of the live music industry. If they collapse, there's a devastating flow-on for staff, musicians, promoters, publicists, hospitality staff, technicians, security staff, suppliers and the list goes on.

During the bushfires, the live music industry stepped up and helped their fellow Australians with gigs around the country to raise money for those who had lost everything. I call on the government to do more for those who work in live music, who now feel that they've been forgotten by this government in their time of need.