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How confident are you?

As a reader and industry professional, how confident are you about this industry as 2021 marches on?

Over a year ago, as Coronavirus first impacted, it was generally assumed that by now its direct affect would be over, that business interruptions and lockdowns would be behind us and that we would be into a truly post-pandemic world.

Yet, new COVID variants continue to emerge, lockdowns persist and borders remain largely closed - a situation that is likely to persist until the majority of the population is vaccinated against Coronavirus and the vaccine proves effective.

It is this backdrop that has prompted my question about confidence.

With the Federal Government’s JobKeeper program now halted, Coronavirus restrictions, loss of overseas visitors and COVID-19 induced changes in consumer behaviour have not resulted in anticipated job losses.

By contrast, many sectors are experiencing staff shortages, particularly in roles previously filled by international students and visitors, with figures showing that around 220,000 overseas workers left Australia’s labour market between December 2019 and March this year.

In our news pages, a cross section of developments show remarkable positivity in fitness, despite being the first facilities closed in a lockdown and membership levels not being at pre-COVID numbers. Genesis Health and Fitness Chief Executive, Ian Jensen-Muir has also made comments backing this resurgence advising that, as of the end of February, memberships levels across the national network of franchises are back to 96% of pre-COVID levels, including Victoria which was seriously impacted by extended lockdowns.

Yet it is in live entertainment where most uncertainty is present.

Despite Australia’s theatre productions leading the world in attracting audiences, festivals and live events - which require months and even years to plan - are beset by uncertainty.

Forward planning for any type of activity that requires border crossings is so uncertain at this time.

Here the postponement of Byron Bay’s Bluesfest just a day before it was due to run over the Easter weekend had a massive impact.

NSW Health’s “eleventh-hour” decision, as described by Live Performance Australia Chief Executive, Evelyn Richardson, to cancel the festival not only effected the organisers, musicians, hundreds of employees who run the event and the small businesses who host stalls at the festival site.

But also with Bluesfest having adopted a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety Plan, postponement of the festival (now rescheduled for the October long weekend) showed the precariousness of planning live events at this time.

With promoters and venues unable to secure cancellation insurance - another element of Australia’s insurance crisis that requires Federal Government intervention – such business interruption surely undermines confidence.

Nigel Benton, Publisher

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