Let’s be real… COVID sucks. But we wanted to give you the chance to reach out and ask us questions. Can you rehearse? When can you tour? Do you need to get vaccinated? When is our freedom day?
Watch the video of our Where To From Here Information Session below where we answer all your questions around the roadmap.
The session covers eligibility, the process and how mediation can work for tenants and landlords.
The Scheme was introduced by the Victorian Government to ease the pressure on Victoria’s small and medium-sized businesses (with an annual turnover of less than $50 million) that have experienced a fall in turnover of more than 30 per cent during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Eligible business owners can obtain relief in the form of a proportionate reduction in rent. For example, a business with a turnover of 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels can only be charged 40 per cent of its rent. Of the balance, at least half must be waived, with the remainder deferred.
Under the Scheme, the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) is supporting tenants and landlords by providing information to assist with negotiating a rent relief agreement and access to free and impartial mediation if a fair agreement can’t be reached.
Tenants can also apply to the VSBC for a binding order for rent relief if their landlord fails to respond or sufficiently respond to the VSBC or doesn’t engage in mediation in good faith.
The Scheme applies retrospectively from 28 July 2021 and will run until 15 January 2022.
Today at 3pm Music Victoria and the Victorian Small Business Commission will jointly host an information session on the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme.
This is a last chance opportunity to get your questions answered on eligibility, the process and how mediation can work for tenants and landlords.
If you’re thinking about applying for the program then, this free online information session is for you!
The Scheme was introduced by the Victorian Government to ease the pressure on Victoria’s small and medium-sized businesses (with an annual turnover of less than $50 million) that have experienced a fall in turnover of more than 30 per cent during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Eligible business owners can obtain relief in the form of a proportionate reduction in rent. For example, a business with a turnover of 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels can only be charged 40 per cent of its rent. Of the balance, at least half must be waived, with the remainder deferred.
Under the Scheme, the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) is supporting tenants and landlords by providing information to assist with negotiating a rent relief agreement and access to free and impartial mediation if a fair agreement can’t be reached.
Tenants can also apply to the VSBC for a binding order for rent relief if their landlord fails to respond or sufficiently respond to the VSBC or doesn’t engage in mediation in good faith.
The Scheme applies retrospectively from 28 July 2021 and will run until 15 January 2022.
We hope you can join us.
Business Victoria has opened round two of the Live Performance Support Program for suppliers and presenters. If you were contracted to work on a live performance event that has been postponed or cancelled, we encourage you to apply for this funding.
If you’re thinking about applying for Business Victoria's Live Performance Support Program Round Two, register for one of our free online information sessions! We'll cover changes from the last round of funding, program guidelines (including eligibility and how to apply) and answer all your questions.
Click the links below for more info and to register.
REGISTER FOR THE SUPPLIER STREAM
Session 1: 20 August at 2pm
Session 2 : 3 September at 2pm
REGISTER FOR THE PRESENTER STREAM
Session 1: 20 August at 4pm
Session 2: 3 September at 4pm
We received great feedback from our last round of info sessions and we hope these next sessions help many more of you submit funding applications!
The Victorian Government is providing more support for live performance events that have been cancelled due to the recent coronavirus restrictions.
The Victorian government updated this program in response to industry feedback and to assist a wider range of affected event businesses and workers.
For eligibility details and to apply, visit business.vic.gov.au. Applications close on Wednesday, 8 September 2021.
If you’re thinking about applying for Business Victoria's Live Performance Support Program Round Two, register for one of our free online information sessions! We'll cover changes from the last round of funding, program guidelines (including eligibility and how to apply) and answer all your questions.
REGISTER FOR THE SUPPLIER STREAM
Session 1: 20 August at 2pm
Session 2 : 3 September at 2pm
REGISTER FOR THE PRESENTER STREAM
Session 1: 20 August at 4pm
Session 2: 3 September at 4pm
On Tuesday, June 15, the Victorian Government announced details of the $20 million dedicated Victorian Events Support Package dedicated to supporting event organisers, hosts and suppliers as they manage the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and current restrictions.
It is part of more than $500 million in business support offered in response to restrictions announced on Thursday 27 May 2021 that includes the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and the Licensed Venue Hospitality Fund 2021, which are already open for applications.
The Victorian Events Support Package delivers five streams of support:
Information on how to apply and when applications open will be published soon. For more information on each program, please visit business.vic.gov.au/events-support
Yesterday the Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino announced a new $250 million business support package, for small-medium size businesses including sole traders and events industry operators. Full details are still to come, but you can register to be notified here: https://business.vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/circuit-breaker-business-support-package
While any support is greatly appreciated, Music Victoria are worried that many in our industry may still miss out due to anticipated eligibility requirements.
As such, we invite you to share with us the impact that this most recent Victorian Lockdown has had on your work in the Music Industry - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhAyOPchF84rZojR60YWeTEfOSajJgcN7_1fBFy7_moJWXRg/viewform
And if you need urgent financial assistance or just someone to talk too, please reach out to Support Act - https://supportact.org.au/
This morning, the Federal Government announced $135m in extra support for music: $125m in additional RISE funding and $10m to Support Act.
By Susan Scollon - Insurance broker at PNOinsurance
When the Victorian Government closed venues as part of Covid-19 minimisation measures, many venue operators assumed that their business interruption insurance would cover their losses. To be informed by their brokers that pandemics were not covered and losses would be their own responsibility, crushed any hope of light at the end of the tunnel.
Insurers caught off guard
Insurers never intended to provide cover for a global infectious disease. From a commercial perspective, covering losses for such an unpredictable, widespread event is not financially viable. Terrorism risk is similarly assessed as so unpredictable and potentially financially catastrophic that the mechanism to fund recovery from such an event is not via insurance companies, but via government through levies.
Insurers are constantly updating their policy wordings in response to loss trends and changes in legislation. Many have not been so adept in updating their infectious disease exclusion, given the last truly global pandemic (the Spanish Flu) was 100 years’ ago. Now it appears a large number of them have been caught off guard, failing to update their policy wording to reflect current legislation.
Insurers look to exclude cover for global pandemics by reference to diseases declared
A recent Australian test case addressing business interruption due to the pandemic has ruled in favour of the insured, meaning that many businesses can potentially claim for losses suffered due to Covid-19 closures and restrictions.
In essence, the NSW Supreme Court addressed a specific issue on whether insurers could rely on their policy exclusions that reference the now defunct Quarantine Act 1908, which was replaced in 2016 by the Biosecurity Act. The judges unanimously found against insurers and held that Covid-19 is not a disease ‘declared to be a quarantinable disease under the Quarantine Act 1908 and subsequent amendments’ and as such, were not excluded from the disease benefit clauses.
What does this mean for venue operators?
This result is not a blanket confirmation that all claims for business interruption losses will now be covered. It relates only to policies that look to exclude cover by specific referencing of the Quarantine Act of 1908 and subsequent amendments. We estimate up to 50% of commercial policy reference the obsolete Quarantine Act.
The outcome will have a very significant impact on insurers large and small with one major Australian insurer, IAG raising new capital on the ASX as a direct consequence of this decision. Whilst insurers have the right to appeal this decision, we expect there will be further cases addressing other aspects of business interruption cover arising from COVID-19 and that in the long term, the claims paid by insurance companies will ultimately be reflected in the future premiums of policyholders.
Next steps
Your insurance broker should have engaged with you following this significant test case as most live music venues do have business interruption cover. Your broker will be able to advise you on your specific policy coverage and then the appropriate course of action with regard to lodging claims. In what has been a very bleak year for the industry, there may, at last, be a silver lining.
Susan Scollon is an insurance broker at PNOinsurance who specialises in protecting hospitality businesses. For further information or advice, please contact Susan at sscollon@pno.com.au or 0408 720 569.
