Victorian Government introduces subsidy for casual workers in arts and entertainment sectors
The Victorian Government, led by premier Daniel Andrews, has introduced a wage subsidy for casual workers not covered by the federal Job Keeper program in a move the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) has called “a huge win”.
Many casual workers at arts and sporting venues – including Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Rod Laver Arena, and Melbourne Recital Centre – previously shut out of Job Keeper will now be eligible for a subsidy of up to $1,500 a fortnight, before tax, until at least the end of September, including those employed for less than 12 months and overseas visa holders.
The State Government move is contingent on these workers being willing to be redeployed to other public sector roles to help the state recover from the pandemic. The government said the initiative will support 3,000 workers.
