Queensland Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch has called on the federal government to update its JobKeeper program criteria so more arts organisations can gain access to the subsidy payments.
Ms Enoch said she had written to her federal counterpart,Paul Fletcher,asking him to raise the issue of government-owned agencies and corporations with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
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“[Mr] Frydenberg can change the eligibility rules for the JobKeeper program at the stroke of a pen,and he needs to do this to support organisations like QPAC and so many council-owned arts and cultural facilities in our suburbs and regional communities,” she said.
Based on eligibility requirements,the Queensland Performing Arts Trust - which operates the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the producers of Brisbane Festival - and a number of other cultural facilities across the state are deemed ineligible for the $1500 fortnightly wage subsidy.
QPAC relies heavily on revenue from ticket sales and venue hire,which has all but dried up since restrictions on public gatherings came into effect.
“The wholesale exclusion of so many arts and cultural workers from the design of the JobKeeper program is a devastating omission by the Commonwealth,” Ms Enoch said.
The sector was hit hard by the early public health restrictions in mid-March,with a recent study from Queensland’s independent music body,QMusic,suggesting losses from cancelled gigs alone hit $325 million within the first month.