MOTIONS › COVID-19: Arts and Entertainment Industry
Senator DUNIAM (Tasmania—Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries and Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism) (16:19): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator DUNIAM: All of us who care about the arts in Australia find it distressing to see museums and galleries closed, productions halted and artists, performers and workers out of work. The government's substantial economic support across the economy is providing critical support for the cultural and creative sector. Based on Treasury data from the first month, more than 25,000 workers in the creative and performing arts subdivision received a JobKeeper payment in its first month of April with total payments of $76 million. This is one of the sectors heavily affected, and rightly it's being supported. Question agreed to.