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The Victorian Government has today (13th May 2020) unveiled its ‘Experience Economy Survival Package’ aimed at supporting Victorian sport, tourism and creative industries, with $150 million allocated to save jobs and ensure best experiences are available on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula notes “Victorians love turning out for big events and while they can’t do that currently, this support will go a long way to making sure our tourism, sport and racing bodies can rebound quickly as restrictions are lifted.”

The Experience Economy Survival Package will support sporting clubs and competitions across the state – from grassroots to elite – as well as major tourist attractions, galleries and museums, and the racing industry.

Together, these sectors contribute nearly $70 billion to the Victorian economy and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, but they have been hit hard by measures to slow the spread of the virus and save lives.

The package includes $40 million for community sport and recreation bodies including state sporting associations, leagues and clubs – to help them return strongly after the pandemic.

Victorian Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence adds “we’re making sure that community and grassroots sport survives this crisis so Victorians can get back to the clubs and sports they love.”

A further $16 million will go to national sporting organisations, and $5.3 million will support the State Sport Centres Trust and the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust.

The Government will also invest $44 million in the state’s racing industry, to help secure jobs and bolster racing clubs across the state.

More than $32 million will support creative agencies and initiatives, including funding for the Geelong Arts Centre, Museums Victoria, National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne and Melbourne Recital Centre and $6 million for live music industry workers and to bolster the oversubscribed Sustaining Creative Workers initiative.

These funds are in addition to the $16.8 million support package recently announced for creative industries and bring the total survival package for jobs in the creative sector to more than $49 million.

Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley notes “Victoria has the best galleries, museums and performance venues in the country – and one of the best live music scenes anywhere in the world. They are central to life in this state and this funding is vital to safeguarding jobs in the $31 billion creative industries economy.”

The package also includes $11 million for Victoria’s tourism industry, with funding for the Emerald Tourist Railway Board (Puffing Billy) and other not-for-profit and privately-owned visitor attractions, plus regional tourism boards and the Victorian Tourism Industry Council.

Image of Puffing Billy

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