Industry hopeful of flexibility in JobKeeper scheme

Producers are hopeful there will be some flexibility in the way businesses are eligible for the Government’s JobKeeper package.

But Screen Producers Australia’s CEO Matthew Deaner impresses the urgency needed for the production sector.

“The passage of the Government’s JobKeeper package creates comfort for many parts of our economy that employment of our workforce can be supported through the current economic downturn. The screen industry and broader creative industries have however expressed concerns that the way our workforce is engaged through our various business structures may mean that many slip through gaps in this framework,” he said.

“We however note the early indications there may be some welcome flexibility in how the eligible business test to the measure is applied. This will be vital for our industry, where variable revenue streams and project-based company structures are commonplace. We look forward to further information on these crucial issues, so that screen businesses, and the thousands they employ, can benefit from the scheme.

“While we wait to see the effect of the JobKeeper package on production businesses, it is critical that the Government starts to turn its mind to specific measures to help the sector. Our industry has been devastated by shutdowns and will need investment and the right regulatory model to help take it through the crisis, into the recovery era and beyond.”