Can Centrelink payment hikes boost music festival participation?

In a world where the cost of living seems to be perpetually on the rise, it's no surprise that discretionary spending, especially among the younger demographic, is taking a hit.

The pinch is being felt all the way to the music festival scene, a cultural staple for many young Australians.

But could increasing Centrelink payments be the solution to reviving this industry? This question has sparked a heated debate across the nation.



A bar owner's call to raise Youth Allowance and JobSeeker payments to enable young Aussies to afford nights out and attend music festivals has stirred controversy.

Hugh Scobie, co-owner of Ancient World, pointed to the cost-of-living crisis and rising rents as culprits preventing many from engaging in social activities and thereby crushing the entertainment industry.


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A bar owner called to raise Youth Allowance and JobSeeker payments so young Aussies can attend music festivals. Credit: Shutterstock


Music festivals, once seen as a rite of passage for the youth, are experiencing a significant drop in ticket sales.

‘Most people can't afford to spend $50 on a night out,' Scobie said.

'Raising JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to the amount recommended by the Australian Council of Social Service would help a lot.'

High-profile events like Splendour in the Grass have even been cancelled, with a report from Creative Australia’s Soundcheck revealing a 24 per cent drop in ticket sales. Among the key demographic of 18 to 24-year-olds from 2018/19 to 2022/23.

The National Arts Participation Survey echoed these findings, citing the cost of tickets as the most common barrier to attendance, impacting 55 per cent of respondents.

The most pronounced issue among party-goers under 35 was money issues, with nine out of 10 experiencing financial difficulty in 2023.



'We lost a huge amount of our audience–young people and students whose main income is from Centrelink–almost immediately after interest rates, rents, groceries, and petrol prices went up,' Scobie said.

'Seeing bands and socialising with their friends doesn't seem to be affordable for them in the current economic climate.'

JobSeeker recipients who are single and do not have children receive a fortnightly payment of $762.70, and those on Youth Allowance receive between $395.30 to $806, depending on their age, living arrangements, relationship status, and whether they have children.

Scobie suggested raising Centrelink payments per the Australian Council of Social Service's recommendation.

It is understood that the most extensive set of permanent Centrelink payment increases, particularly a $40 increase on JobSeeker and Youth Allowance, started on 20 September.

JobSeeker recipients, currently receiving an average of $55 a day, should have their payments increased to match the pension rate of $80 a day.



Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has weighed in, suggesting that more taxpayer funds should support festivals while also attributing festival cancellations to climate change and extreme weather events.

'Festivals are an important part of the arts and live music ecosystem. 'Festivals support jobs not only for artists but also in hospitality, tourism and trades as well,' Senator Hanson-Young said.

'It is not a surprise to hear festival organisers say that extreme weather and insurance are among their biggest challenges.’

'We have known for some time that extreme weather events and climate change are making it harder and more unpredictable to put on large-scale events.'
Key Takeaways
  • Festival ticket sales among young Australians aged 18 to 24 have significantly dropped, attributed to the cost-of-living crisis and ticket prices.
  • A bar owner, Hugh Scobie, has suggested raising Youth Allowance and JobSeeker payments to enable young people to participate in social activities like music festivals, which would support the entertainment industry.
  • The Soundcheck report revealed a 24 per cent drop in ticket sales within the key demographic for festivals and pointed to the financial pressures on young adults, with costs like rent and groceries limiting their ability to afford event tickets.
  • There have been several cancellations of major music festivals in Australia, with reasons ranging from economic pressures on consumers to challenges posed by extreme weather and the unpredictable nature of hosting large-scale events due to climate change.
Do you think Centrelink payments should be increased to support young people's participation in cultural events like music festivals? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
 
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I am sorry but it is not the price of tickets to these events. IT is the cost of rental properties that take a HUGE slice out of their Centrelink benefits!!!! People cannot afford a roof over their head PLUS food and electricity/ gas …. They have no money left over to spend to go to see a movie let alone a ticket to a music festival!!!! Why should taxpayers pay to the people who are putting these festivals on???? The money is not going to the artists playing.

If organisations and so called businesses that set themselves up to help the disadvantaged/ disabled/ the aged stop “ripping “ the government off; we would have more money to go round!!!!
What a load of hogwash to increase student allowance/ job search allowance so these Australians can buy tickets for Music festivals 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Australia does not have enough people to pay tax for this ridiculous increase. Get a job , get an extra job, get 3 jobs if you want to attend a Music Festival.
Australian Government cannot keep paying out dead money!!!!
 
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This is a joke - right?

I cannot afford to go to any event because of what is happening now - and you suggest an increase so the precious no working bludgers can enjoy themselves for no effort - this is madness!.
 
All supermarkets constantly have jobs advertised on their noticeboards. I have also seen coffee shops with notices in their windows, restaurants and cafes wanting wait staff.
If you want a job bad enough you will find one.
Supermarkets and Bunnings also hire seniors.
These people will always have an excuse, as to where are the jobs, I have not seen them. If you want to work you will always find one. I'm just the messenger don't shoot me.
 
These people will always have an excuse, as to where are the jobs, I have not seen them. If you want to work you will always find one. I'm just the messenger don't shoot me.
Too many people make no effort, just sit around waiting for a job to come to them
My son's friend stood on a busy intersection with a sign saying "looking for a job, will do anything". A guy stopped and offered him a cabinet making apprenticeship, just goes to show what a bit of initiative will get you.
 
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Excellent, could not have said it better. The entitled and well off blame everyone but themselves
Blame themselves for being well off. What on earth do you mean.
If they are well off, it's probably because they worked hard and looked after their money.
Why should they sympathise with those who don't or didn't.
People with disabilities and illnesses that precluded them from working are, of course,a different matter
But there are too many people who choose welfare as a lifestyle.
 
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Blame themselves for being well off. What on earth do you mean.
If they are well off, it's probably because they worked hard and looked after their money.
Why should they sympathise with those who don't or didn't.
People with disabilities and illnesses that precluded them from working are, of course,a different matter
But there are too many people who choose welfare as a lifestyle.
Read it please. Blame everyone BUT themselves. Nothing wrong with being well off, but does not give anyone the right to denigrate those in a certain group or less fortunate. That is bigotry
 
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IF CENTRELINK YOUTH PAYMENTS ARE TO BE INCREASED SO THAT THEY CAN ATTEND FESTIVALS AND SOCIALISE, WHY NOT ALSO INCREASE PAYMENTS FOR SENIORS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MASSAGES ONCE A FORNIGHT TO KEEP FIT?
 
Too many people make no effort, just sit around waiting for a job to come to them
My son's friend stood on a busy intersection with a sign saying "looking for a job, will do anything". A guy stopped and offered him a cabinet making apprenticeship, just goes to show what a bit of initiative will get you.
EXACTLY
 
I think you are the fool jumping to conclusions without checking facts. Little things like holidays, correction days etc etc. You did not read the article properly. Concert promoters made the suggestion, not the unemployed. Try thinking
ALWAYS
 
Using that rationale, those with degrees, PhDs etc should get paid more than those who worked at a grocery store, where does it stop?
When I was younger, I earned over $100,000/yr, does that mean I should get a higher pension now that I need one?
I had a good job then, but circumstances change, injuries occur, and WorkCover does nothing for the worker. So we end up on a pension, with no money because we have spent all our savings. The government can't have too many variations, they do pay those over 55 a slightly higher rate. It isn't much higher though.
So, what I said was if a kid decides to drop out of school, because they don’t like it, they go to centrelink, get the jobseeker Payment.. I’ve been working 40+ years paying taxes, I lost my job, too old to get employed at 60 to young for the aged pension 67. I have bills to pay insurances , council rates rego etc. The 16 year old has what to pay. yes I know some circumstances are different for everyone, but when I hear in A centrelink office a 16/17 talking to their mate about how ‘easy’ this is, you just got to know how to run the system… and run the system they do.. ( yes this was my situation)..
 
So, what I said was if a kid decides to drop out of school, because they don’t like it, they go to centrelink, get the jobseeker Payment.. I’ve been working 40+ years paying taxes, I lost my job, too old to get employed at 60 to young for the aged pension 67. I have bills to pay insurances , council rates rego etc. The 16 year old has what to pay. yes I know some circumstances are different for everyone, but when I hear in A centrelink office a 16/17 talking to their mate about how ‘easy’ this is, you just got to know how to run the system… and run the system they do.. ( yes this was my situation)..
Yes, I agree with you. There are countries where you are paid a pension in line with the amount of tax you have paid, allowing you to maintain a similar, if not exact, lifestyle in your retirement.
We have a similar system here in Australia,but you need to be a politician to benefit from it.
I also think the age pension should not be means tested. The government are so far behind in assessing claims etc. they never catch up and cause so much stress to people.
If pensioners didn't have to continually advise if their bank accounts go up or down, if they sell their house, you have to produce settlement statements, advise where the funds went
etc. etc. etc.In your senior years you don't need all the stress caused by Centrelink
Imagine the amount of time they would save, leaving staff to concentrate on those really in need of disability, Jobseeker, carer payments, etc if they just paid everybody their pension and not worried if they were working, etc. If they were working they would be paying tax, win/win.
 
What a load of poppycock! No they don't. Most of the time also the jobs offered are only on-call or for 10 hours or so a week. People cannot live on that and be sitting at home hoping to get called in for a shift. They need stability, regular hours and decent pay ... and they certainly don't need the judgement of people who have no idea what it is like out there. I feel sorry for a lot of the younger ones today and am ashamed of how many of my generation look down on them.
It is income, it increases the JSA that they can get from the government. If they aren't willing to do some work, how do they think they will get experience and increase their chances of moving on to a better job? If they get an education they have a better chance of going straight to a full-time position, they are also advertised. Companies are desperate for workers. Qualified and unqualified, full-time and part-time. As others have said, some are too picky.
 
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So, what I said was if a kid decides to drop out of school, because they don’t like it, they go to centrelink, get the jobseeker Payment.. I’ve been working 40+ years paying taxes, I lost my job, too old to get employed at 60 to young for the aged pension 67. I have bills to pay insurances , council rates rego etc. The 16 year old has what to pay. yes I know some circumstances are different for everyone, but when I hear in A centrelink office a 16/17 talking to their mate about how ‘easy’ this is, you just got to know how to run the system… and run the system they do.. ( yes this was my situation)..
I understand where you are coming from, it is frustrating. But they need to encourage everyone to try and get a job. They give more to the over 55's because they understand they will have more problems finding work. They need to come down harder on some young kids who drop out of school for no reason and make them take up TAFE training rather than JSA income.
 
I understand where you are coming from, it is frustrating. But they need to encourage everyone to try and get a job. They give more to the over 55's because they understand they will have more problems finding work. They need to come down harder on some young kids who drop out of school for no reason and make them take up TAFE training rather than JSA income.
Or, as someone else suggested, bring back conscription for those who haven't taken up a job offer after six months.In this unstable world this wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Girls as well as boys.
 

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