Western Australian program allows rescheduling rather than cancellation of live events

The Western Australian Government’s program - Getting the Show Back on the Road+ (GTSBOTR+) - which aims to reduce financial risks associated with running ticketed events during the pandemic, has been further extended to include rescheduled events.

The announcement has been welcomed by Live Entertainment Western Australia, which has confirmed shows including Midnight Oil; Crowded House; Hoodoo Gurus; Hunters and Collectors with James Reyne; Jimmy Barnes, Mondo Rock, Ian Moss; and Missy Higgins, Birds of Tokyo, and the Waifs will now all proceed at rescheduled future dates. Without the expansion of the GTSBOTR+ program, the shows would have been cancelled altogether.

The expansion of the program will allow promoters to recoup the unrecoverable costs of up to 30% of pre-approved box office value (up to a cap of $150,000) when events are rescheduled. This will enable live events that are not viable under current Level 2 public health measures to be moved to more suitable dates later in the year.

The changes follow discussions between the State Government and the live events industry on how the program could be adjusted to better support the sector.

The program end date has also been extended to 30th June, 2022.

Live Entertainment WA President Brad Mellen advised "The rescheduled shows would have been cancelled without the assistance now being offered to enable rescheduling.

"The system's not perfect - there's still the problem of shortfalls in sales when sold out shows are rescheduled -– but it reflects great credit on the Government that it listened to representations and has acted to provide assistance for rescheduling.

"Hopefully, things will get back to something like normal in the next few months and Western Australia will again see international acts absent now for more than two years."

Western Australian Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman notes "Live event organisers now have more certainty around putting on shows in Western Australia during this difficult time, knowing they are supported with the unrecoverable costs of rescheduling. We have listened to feedback from the live events industry and expanded the program accordingly.

"I am very pleased these changes will mean a number of terrific upcoming shows can now be rescheduled rather than cancelled. It is a great result for our local live events industry and all WA music fans."

For more information on the program and guidelines visit dlgsc.wa.gov.au/funding/arts-funding/getting-the-show-back-on-the-road

Image: Midnight Oil. Credit: discover Ticketmaster