Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (16:05): From day one it's been clear that this government has no real plan for Australians jobs. They were dragged kicking and screaming by Labor before they announced a wages subsidy, their so-called JobKeeper. We suggested it, and we were thrilled when they finally agreed. They took their time, but they did finally agree. But now, when it is so incredibly clear that, at least for some industries, JobKeeper will be needed for longer than their arbitrary end date next month, they are still refusing to do what is needed to protect local jobs.
My electorate on the New South Wales South Coast is heavily dependent on tourism. We have all you could want in a holiday destination: beaches, mountains, beautiful people, beautiful food. But the tourism sector is hurting like never before. International tourism is off the table for who knows how long. The domestic tourism market is there, but, with border closures and new hotspots creating high levels of uncertainty, it is putting the viability of many local tourism operators at risk. So what's the government's plan? It's clear. They don't have one. There has been talk—there have been little rumbles and little hints, but rumbles and hints aren't going to keep tourism businesses across my electorate in business.
For months and months I have been raising the concerns, the alarm, of local travel agents in my electorate. I have called on the government over and over again to provide targeted support to that industry. Without the international tourism market, many travel agents simply won't survive. They struggled for so long while being completely ignored by the Prime Minister. Travel agents breathed a sigh of relief when the government finally announced a seemingly tailored package late last year. But, like so many things the Morrison government does, this was yet another failed delivery.
I want to share some of the thoughts of local travel agents in my electorate about this package so that you can see the reality. Several agents told me they won't qualify. While the money should have helped to cover the hundreds of hours they have spent, unpaid, helping their clients since this all began, they will get nothing. So, without JobKeeper, they won't survive.
Soon after the assistance program was announced, one agent from Nowra said: 'To say that our industry is disappointed is a massive understatement. In the proposal presented by AFTA, my office would have received a grant of $40,000. This would have assisted me to keep trading and my two remaining staff members employed until October 2021. The grant has been butchered by the powers that be, and my office will now only receive $11,000, which will not even pay one month's wages once JobKeeper ends in March.'
Another agent said: 'The turnover model is a nightmare for those of us in retail travel. Austrade continued, even though they were fully aware of this grave flaw, and consequently they have signed a death warrant for many in our industry.' These sentiments were echoed by agents up and down the coast—a failure for real people, real businesses and real jobs. But it isn't just travel agents.
Another forgotten industry that has been begging for help is independent cinemas. Independent cinemas have seen huge drops in audience numbers. They have had to deal with prolonged closures and capacity restrictions. And, with the US in the state it is in, there is a huge lack of major blockbusters, which they rely on.
In 2020, independent cinemas saw a 70 per cent reduction at the box office. They are struggling and many may not survive. Independent cinemas are so dismayed by the government's complete refusal to help them that next week they are launching a Week of Action. Why should it come to that? One of the independent cinemas in Batemans Bay said in December, 'Without further support through the COVID-19 crisis, my business is at risk of financial collapse. That will rob Batemans Bay and surrounding areas of its affordable and well-loved cinema, and leave our staff without jobs.' That sums it up perfectly. But the government are not listening. They don't have a plan.
There are 1.6 million Australians relying on JobKeeper, but, from next month, they will lose that critical lifeline. This pandemic is far from over, and, despite the government's attempts to paint a positive picture, a huge number of businesses and jobs are in dire circumstances. We need an extension of JobKeeper for those who need it. The government needs to start listening.
