The Western Australian Government has established a Creative Industries Taskforce to help guide the ongoing development of the State’s creative economy. The group is intended to inform government policy and strengthen connections across sectors such as screen, performance, music, design, digital innovation and First Nations arts. 
The taskforce will advise on priorities under Creative WA, the Government’s ten-year vision for cultural and creative development, and contribute to strategies within Diversify WA, the State’s broader economic diversification framework. Its work will include identifying areas with strong growth potential, supporting commercial innovation, expanding access to new markets, and enhancing collaboration across industry, education and community stakeholders. 
Members have been selected for their leadership and experience across Western Australia’s creative industries. The group includes practitioners, executives and sector advocates from arts organisations, design, theatre, fashion, creative tech and music, among others. 
A central task for the group will be overseeing the development of an action plan to guide future industry growth and help shape long-term pathways for creative businesses and practitioners in WA.
The announcement forms part of a series of recent state initiatives aimed at supporting the creative sector’s sustainability and economic contribution, including investment in industry programs and infrastructure.
Read the full Western Australian Government media release on the establishment of the Creative Industries Taskforce

FutureNow Industry Development Manager, Melissa Harkins, recently spoke to 150 education professionals to showcase career pathways in the tourism and hospitality sector for high school students.
Delivered by Tourism WA, the event aimed to showcase the diverse and rewarding career pathways open to young Western Australians.
Building on the success of the 2023 and 2024 events, this year's program features interactive industry activations, panel discussions, and presentations showcasing traineeships, apprenticeships, and higher education pathways in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The program aims to create a sustainable local tourism and hospitality workforce pipeline and further diversify WA's economy by creating local jobs and providing a boost to local businesses.
​In the 2024-25 financial year, WA's tourism and hospitality industry supported over 120,000 local jobs, ranking it the fifth largest sector in the State.

The Western Australian screen sector is set to benefit from $10.8 million in funding provided to Screenwest by Lotterywest- the largest grant to date under their longstanding support program. This investment builds on Lotterywest’s three-decade association with Screenwest, helping to sustain a vibrant and growing film, television and digital content industry across WA. 
With this funding, Screenwest aims to stimulate more in-state production, open up pathways for emerging and established local talent, encourage genuine WA-based storytelling- including stronger representation of First Nations voices- and deliver a wide range of screen content that reflects WA's diverse communities. 
The support comes at a time of significant growth for the sector. Screenwest continues to offer grants and incentives across development, production, games and industry-building initiatives to nurture talent and build capacity for major screen productions in WA. The funding helps ensure that more stories rooted in local culture and experience can be told, and that the industry remains strong, inclusive and ready for the next generation of filmmakers, producers and digital creators.

Supported by a $10 million grant from Austrade, Accommodation Australia Industry Association has developed a platform called “eger”. Set to launch in March 2025, it is a new careers and training resource designed to tackle workforce shortages, skill development, and career growth in industries critical to Australia’s visitor economy; tourism, hospitality and travel. The platform is designed to be a one stop shop to help tourism and hospitality workers grow their skill sets to help continue to build their careers and help businesses find the employees they need. The platform will offer tools for education, training, and career advancement, providing a central resource for employers to find talent and employees to explore opportunities across the sector. 

Learn more about eeger here.

The 30th anniversary of the WA Training Awards last Friday night showcased the incredible talents of the creative and leisure industries, with contributions from photographers, caterers, live technicians, event planners, student florists, hairdressers, beauticians, radio hosts, and performers. Our industries played a key role in making the event a spectacular celebration of training excellence.
Highlights from the night include:

• North Metropolitan TAFE students delivering event coordination support
• South Metropolitan TAFE students creating stunning floral displays throughout the venue and on tables
• 600 individually wrapped cookies, baked by South Metropolitan TAFE students, as table favours
• BOOM Radio, a TAFE student-run station, broadcasting live from the event, interviewing winners and special guests like Minister for Training Simone McGurk
• WA Academy, a private RTO, operating a beauty bar, with Taylorweir Hairdressing and Barbering students offering hair styling for attendees

In addition to these student contributions, the event was powered by a talented team of photographers, DJs, graphic designers, caterers, audio-visual specialists, media representatives, and MC Tina Altieri, creating a memorable and inspiring night.

The 2024 – 25 Federal Budget has been announced – find key investments for your industries below. 

Tourism, Hospitality, Events, Travel

• Tourism Australia budget funding is maintained at similar levels to current funding.
• Austrade will receive $8m over four years to restart the Approved Destination Status (ADS) scheme to support Chinese group guided tours to Australia in guided groups
• An additional $265.1 million over four years in financial support for apprentices and their employers. Under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System apprentices and employers in priority occupations will receive an extra $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
• $3.0 million over four years from 2024–25 to deliver on the Government’s commitment for mandatory country of origin labelling for seafood in hospitality settings in collaboration with the states and territories.
• A $25 ballot for working and holiday visas will also be introduced for people coming from China, Vietnam and India from next financial year.
• $1.7 billion over 10 years to support commercialisation of net-zero initiatives including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), part of the ‘Future Made in Australia’ Innovation Fund
• $101.9 million over five years has been allocated to extend the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program and the Regional Airports Program for two further rounds.
• Revive Live program will provide $8.6m in 2024-25 to support Australian live music venues and festivals.

Arts & Recreation

• After record funding in last year’s Budget for Revive – Australia’s national cultural policy – the 2024-25 Budget includes:
• $115.2 million in operational funding to Australia’s eight national arts training organisations.
• $14.5 million to support the production of Australian children’s screen content.
• $9.3 million to expand and enhance the National Film and Sound Archive’s capacity to store highly flammable nitrate-based cultural heritage material belonging to our national collecting institutions.
• $8.6 million for the Revive Live program to provide essential support to live music venues and festivals showcasing Australian bands and artists.
• $5.2 million to expand and develop the Canberra and Darwin symphony orchestras.
• $97 million over two years to the Australian Sports Commission to extend Sporting Schools, the Local Sporting Champions, and Local Para Champions programs, and participation funding
• $250 million investment in the Australian Institute of Sport facilities in Canberra in preparation for the 2032Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Training

• $26.1 million over four years from 2024–25 for the Skills and Training portfolio to contribute to a strong and effective Vocational Education and Training system, and continue structural reforms. Extra $2,000 for apprentices in priority areas and $1,000 for employers to help offset training costs for employing apprentices.
• $4.4 million in 2024–25 to drive demand for Vocational Education and Training (VET). This will include delivering strategic communications to increase the appeal of VET for students, parents and teachers, and extending community awareness of Fee-Free TAFE courses in areas of high skills needs.

 
The Federal Budget documents may be accessed here

General analysis:
ABC analysis
Centre for Future Work paper
Michelle Grattan on the RBA’s response to the Budget

Travel and tourism:
Tourism and Transport Forum media statement
Travel Weekly reflection.

Print:
Print 21 industry response to the Budget

Arts and recreation:
ArtsHub overview of the Budget
Limelight magazine overview
NAVA responds to the Federal Budget  
Theatre Network Australia’s response
ScreenHub Australia reviews the Budget
A detailed breakdown of investment in the screen and broadcasting sector
Australian Sports Commission welcomes Federal Budget

Training and education:
The Conversation article on higher education
The Conversation article on the Future Made in Australia initiative

THRIVE 2030 is Australia's national strategy for the long-term sustainable growth of the visitor economy.  Austrade would like to hear from stakeholders in the tourism industry regarding the challenges facing your region or business (including workforce development). Click here to read the THRIVE 2030 Action Plan.

The West Australian Government has released a 10- year plan for the West Australian Screen sector. The strategy, launched by Minister Templeman and produced by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural industries contains the following Vision statement. 
"Western Australia has a world-renowned screen industry showcasing exceptional creative content and stories to the world. Government and industry align to create new highly skilled jobs, attract investment and activity to grow and diversify our economy, and enrich our cultures and our people." 

The strategy is organised around the pillars of Enabling a screen friendly WA, growing opportunities through Production incentives, developing required Infrastructure, both metropolitan and regional and building capacity and capability in the screen Workforce across a diverse range of platforms. Please access the strategy here.