South Australian tourism sector seeks extension of JobKeeper beyond March 2021

January 13, 2021

Tourism industry representatives in South Australia are calling for the JobKeeper to be extended beyond March, fearing a wave of insolvency among industry operators if the Federal Government’s Coronavirus stimulus measure are halted as currently scheduled.

With lockdown measures having impacted operators during the year and on/off border closures continuing to affect the industry

Australian Hotels Association SA General Manager Ian Horne said JobKeeper should be extended until the end of 2021, with the option of being reviewed if things improve.

Horne told Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser “we believe the JobKeeper safety net must remain in place past March as all indications suggest international travel will remain very restricted for some many months, if not years, to come.”

Tourism Industry Council of SA Chief Executive Shaun de Bruyn said SA’s tourism sector would have “significant” business closures if JobKeeper was not extended beyond March, noting that while regional businesses that catered to local visitors on drive holidays were enjoying a “boom”, most of the industry was still suffering.

Australian Tourism Industry Council Chief Executive, Simon Westaway also backed extending and re-targeting JobKeeper beyond March, adding “due to the continued hard closed international border along with repeated and damaging domestic border disruptions.

“Industry’s like tourism are clearly looking for and need resolution around JobKeeper’s intended future in the coming weeks.”

JobKeeper is due to end on 28^th March, after being extended for six months already from its original end date of last September.

The payment is currently $1000-a-fortnight for workers in the top tier or $650 for the second tier.

Image: Adelaide's Glenelg Beach.

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