Page updated 13-12-2021
As we shift to living with COVID-19 in the community, the below collection of resources may assist you, your employees or your organisation, on topics from financial support, issuing refunds and exchanges, vaccinations in the workplace, and more.
State-by-State Information
Find the most up-to-date information relating to COVID-19 status and restrictions for your State below.
FIND YOUR STATE’S COVID CHECK-IN APP
Australian Capital Territory – Check In CBR
Northern Territory – The Territory Check In App
South Australia – COVID SAfe Check-In
COVID-19: What to do if a worker tests positive
With thanks to Live Performance Australia for providing this information.
Each state and territory provides different guidance and notification requirements for businesses if a worker tests positive to COVID-19. These may include:
- notifications to public health authorities,
- identifying and managing contacts,
- testing requirements,
- isolation and quarantine requirements for workers, and
- when to notify the relevant safe work authority.
Organisations may be notified that a worker who has attended a workplace has tested positive for COVID-19 by:
- public health authorities
- the worker who has tested positive
- an employer of a worker who visits the workplace.
The privacy and confidentiality of the person who tested positive for COVID-19 must be maintained.
Step-by Step Guidance for business
Step-by-step guidance for the relevant state or territory should be followed if a workers tests positive to COVID-19.
The following links provide this specific guidance:
LPA has requested further information from the Northern Territory.
Financial Support & Insurance Initiatives
The Australia Council has created a comprehensive listing of all federal and state COVID-19 assistance opportunities within the arts.
Visit the full guide on the Australia Council website here.
This information is also available as a PDF download and a Word Document download.
On 18 November 2021, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon Don Harwin MLC, confirmed in parliament that the New South Wales Government is establishing an Event Saver Fund. He also confirmed that this Fund is temporary and a precursor to an insurance fund that is currently under consideration by Treasury.
The Victorian government has established a $230 million COVID-19 Event Insurance pilot scheme, for events that are cancelled or held at reduced capacity because of State or Federal Government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions. Find out more and register your interest here.
Get in touch with your state-based arts agencies and review the latest information from each here:
Australian Capital Territory – artsACT
South Australia – Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Arts and culture)
Western Australia – Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries
PAC Australia Guidelines for COVID-Safe Theatres
The national guidelines for COVID-Safe Theatres, prepared by PAC Australia, are now available.
Note we will be releasing an update to this document in December 2021.
You can download the current document in full here and more information on the creation and context of the document is available here.
New editions of the COVID-Safe Guide for Touring, and the COVID-Safe Guide for Performances, Rehearsals & Audiences will also be released soon.
Resources for Venues & Orgs
Vaccination Requirements & Resources
As COVID-19 restrictions ease and businesses reopen, it’s important for you to know your rights and obligations regarding vaccinations for your workplace, customers and employees.
Find full information on vaccination requirements in your State, including proof of vaccination requirements, here.
Find information on how to source a ‘proof of vaccination’ certificate here.
Pro Bono Australia has information on implementing a mandate on COVID vaccinations in your workplace in an ethical way, if you’re planning to do so.
COVID-Safe Plan – Template
Live Performance Australia have created this COVID-Safe Plan Template.
PAC Australia Resources
If you’re looking for frameworks, metrics and useful language when quantifying your venue’s impact on and outcomes for your local community, be sure to reference our Performing Spaces guide. This guide was developed primarily for local government senior management, to assist them to grow community wellbeing through their performing arts centres and facilities.
Our most recent Economic Activity Report, which measures the scale of operations and economic activity of performing arts centres nationally, may also be of use. PAC Australia will soon commence the process of undertaking the next Benchmarking survey, which will inform the new Economic Activity Report, and Venues Charges & Salaries Report. The survey will include questions relating to the impact of COVID on the industry, and resultant data will be made available to PAC Australia Members.
Risk Management Plan – Example
Arts Centre Melbourne have generously shared a coronavirus inclusive Risk Management Plan, which you may also find useful. You can download it here.
Business Continuity Plan – Template
The Queensland Government has created a Business Continuity Plan template. Download it here.
Support Act Arts Wellbeing Collective
You can find Arts Wellbeing Collective posters and flyers to download for display in your workplace here.
Seven Inclusive Principles for the Arts in COVID-19.
Audience Outlook Monitor – Getting Audiences Back
The Audience Outlook Monitor was launched in 2020 as a tracking study of audience sentiments during the pandemic.
The study was rolled out for a further three phases in 2021, to continue bringing timely and essential data to the sector’s decision making about planning and programming live events.
You can view all data on the Patternmakers website, including Key Findings summaries and State-By-State breakdowns.
Benchmarking Survey
PAC Australia will soon commence the process of our biennial Benchmarking survey which will inform the next Economic Activity Report, and Venues Charges & Salaries Report.
The survey will include questions relating to the impact of COVID on the industry, and resultant data will be made available to PAC Australia Members.
LPA Refunds & Exchanges Guidance
Live Performance Australia developed guidance for ticket refunds and exchanges in a COVID-19 environment. This document was updated in October 2021 and you can read it here.
Music Licensing / Live-Streaming Performances
The streaming of performances, show excerpts, archive recordings or work-in-development showings, among others, has raised many queries regarding licensing of copyrighted music works for these purposes.
We encourage you to be in touch with APRA AMCOS (for Dramatic Context) or OneMusic to discuss your circumstances and requirements.
Senate Inquiry
On 8 April 2020, the Senate resolved to establish a Select Committee on COVID-19 to inquire into the Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. PAC Australia has made a submission to the inquiry, primarily focussed on the impact of COVID-19 on performing arts venues and presenters and the ongoing viability issues that our sector will continue to face while the rest of the economy restarts. You can review the submission here.
You can view the hearings and read the final reports here.
Live Performance Federal Insurance Guarantee Fund Bill 2021
On 2 September 2021, the Senate referred the Live Performance Federal Insurance Guarantee Fund Bill 2021 to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 13 October 2021.
You can find the final report for reference here.
Look After Your Mental Health
The Arts Wellbeing Collective developed two resources to assist in the return to creative work and workplaces:
- Back after interval: tips and techniques for practitioners and performing arts workers
- Back after interval: tips and techniques for leaders, managers and organisations
Also from the Arts Wellbeing Collective, Mental Health Matinées are a series of informative webinars providing guidance and tools within topics such as resilience, mental health fundamentals and self-compassion.
Beyond Blue have put together this excellent resource on how to look after your mental health during difficult times.
In October 2020, the Australia Council hosted a webinar in their Creating Our Future series, titled Spotlight on health and wellbeing.
Entertainment Assist have created a short series of free mental health webinars, in a program called Intermission. Topics include isolation, finance, healthy habits and sleep.
FutureLearn have compiled a collection of free online courses in their Support Your Mental Health In Lockdown series, featuring topics such as the work-life balance, professional resilience and COVID-19 specific analysis and tips.
Work Health and Safety Incident Notification Processes
With thanks to LPA for providing this information.
There are certain requirements regarding work health safety (WHS) incident notifications for COVID-19 in each state, including how to notify the WorkSafe Authority and when notification is required. In all states and territories, a notification must be made to the WorkSafe Authority, regardless of whether the relevant Health Authority is already aware of the case.
VICTORIA
Employers and self-employed people are required to notify WorkSafe Victoria immediately when they become aware that an employee, independent contractor or employee of an independent contractor has:
- received a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and has attended the workplace within the infectious period.
LPA has previously advised Members that employers in Victoria who fail to notify WorkSafe Victoria can be fined $39,652 for individuals and $198,264 for a company.
Notifications can be made to WorkSafe Victoria by phone on 13 23 60, or by the online Confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis reporting form.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Employers and self-employed people are required to notify WorkSafe ACT immediately:
- of a serious injury or illness of a person, including any confirmed case of COVID-19 arising out of work, and
- if it is suspected that a person may have contracted COVID-19 and requires treatment in hospital.
The fine for failure to notify WorkSafe ACT is $10,000 for individuals and $50,000 for a company.
Notifications can be made to WorkSafe ACT by phone on 13 22 81, or by completing an online Notifiable Incident Report.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Employers and self-employed people must notify SafeWork NSW of:
- a serious injury or illness of a person, including any confirmed case of COVID-19 arising out of work, and
- a person requiring treatment as an in-patient in a hospital for a COVID-19 infection which arose out of work.
The fine for failure to notify SafeWork NSW is $10,00 for an individual and $50,000 for a company.
Notifications can be made to SafeWork NSW by phone on 13 10 50.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Employers and self-employed people must notify NT WorkSafe where:
- a person dies from a COVID-19 infection which arose out of work; and
- a person requires treatment as an in-patient in a hospital for a COVID-19 infection which arose out of work.
The fine for failure to notify NT WorkSafe is $720 for individuals and $3,600 for a company.
Notifications can be made to NT WorkSafe by phone on 1800 019 115.
QUEENSLAND
Employers and self-employed people must notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland of:
- a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 as diagnosed by a medical practitioner which arose out of work that requires a person to have treatment as an in-patient in a hospital.
The fine for failure to notify Workplace Health and Safety Queensland can be fined, on-the-spot, $720 for individuals and $3,600 for a company.
Notifications can be made to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland by phone on 1300 362 128.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Employers and self-employed people must notify SafeWork SA of a confirmed case of COVID-19 that can be attributed to a workplace exposure, and either:
- a person is required to have treatment as an in-patient in a hospital; or
- a person dies from a COVID-19 infection.
The fine for failure to notify SafeWork SA can be fined $600 for individuals and $3,000 for a company.
Notifications can be made to SafeWork SA by phone on 1300 365 255, or by completing an online Notifiable Incident Report.
TASMANIA
Employers and self-employed people must notify WorkSafe Tasmania immediately, when it is confirmed that a person contracted COVID-19 carrying out work, and:
- the person dies; or
- the person is required to have treatment as an in-patient in a hospital.
The fine for failure to notify WorkSafe Tasmania can be fined $10,000 for individuals and $50,000 for a company.
Notifications can be made to WorkSafe Tasmania by phone on 1300 366 322, or by completing an Online Incident Form.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Employers and self-employed people must notify WorkSafe WA, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, (the Department) when:
- a case of COVID-19 is the cause, or suspected cause, of death at a workplace.
Notification is not required for non-fatal incidents of COVID-19.
Employers who fail to notify the Department can be fined $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for a company.
Notifications can be made to the Department by phone on 1800 678 198.