AusLeisure

Australian musicians and concert promoters are maintaining their calls for governments to underwrite COVID cancellation insurance for live events.

With event promoters and organisers unable to get insurance to cover the costs of COVID related cancelation a major obstacle to recovery for the live events sector, promoters, artists and music industry bodies called on the Federal Government to set up a national scheme at a Parliamentary hearing yesterday.

However, the Federal Government says the matter is one for the states and territories arguing they are responsible for restrictions and border closures and should therefore foot the bill for any insurance scheme that covers losses stemming from those restrictions.

Tasmania and Western Australia have implemented their own state-based underwriting schemes for the live performance sector but the sector says a national approach is needed given the cross border nature of live events.

Speaking to the ABC, singer-songwriter Pete Murray said any scheme needs a national approach to be workable, commenting “without the Federal Government playing a role, no scheme can be workable.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years now, I’m probably a fairly successful musician, and I’m nervous.

“There’s a lot of fear.”

Music company Eleven’s President, John Watson, said the lack of insurance options was a “market failure”, telling the ABC “more and more people are just saying it is too risky to take on touring.”

The committee will report back on the bill by 3rd November before it is voted on.

Image courtesy of stxdio.

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