Victoria's event industry crisis revealed in shocking new workforce data

The Australian

06-08-2025

The number of people working as event organisers in Victoria has plunged by almost 40 per cent since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, despite increases in other states, matching a sharp fall in spending on business events in the state over the past decade.
Just days after Premier Jacinta Allan announced her government will legislate to make working from home a legal right, leaders in the industry – which organises events from conferences to weddings and music festivals – have pointed to a change in behaviour during Covid lockdowns they say is still costing the state's economy.
Event industry leaders are also pleading with the Allan government to learn from its counterparts interstate and better engage with the sector to maximise its ­potential to create jobs, stimulate business for event suppliers, and generate revenue.
Analysis of the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force data by event industry leader Simon Thewlis shows the number of event organisers in Victoria fell from 11,544 in 2018-19 to 7062 in 2024-25 – a slump of 38.8 per cent.
Over the same period, the drop in NSW was 0.07 per cent, from 13,421 to 13,327, while Queensland recorded a 70 per cent increase, from 2566 to 4361.
Victoria's slump accounted for the vast majority of the 5227 jobs lost in the sector nationwide, which fell 15.2 per cent from 34,375 to 29, 148.
'We've been telling the government since halfway through 2020 when the pandemic was biting that it would have long term impacts,' Mr Thewlis said.
'We've long been warning that the event industry was now based in Sydney, and the numbers show it. When you think back to us 10 years ago, that would have been unimaginable,' Mr Thewlis said.
Figures prepared by consultants Ernst and Young for the Business Events Council of Australia show Victoria had a $10.0bn, or 36 per cent share, of national direct expenditure on business events in 2013-14.
While not directly comparable, Tourism Research Australia statistics show that in 2024, Victoria's share of Australia-wide visitor expenditure on business events was a much lower 22.1 per cent.
Regina Lysaught, managing ­director of event company VEE Agency and previously the Victorian chair of Meetings and Events Australia, said the pandemic had shifted consumer behaviour, with many Victorians developing a preference for avoiding in-person social interaction.
'Events used to be such an important part of Victorian culture, and that's changed a lot, and it's not a good thing. People are staying at home more,' Ms Lysaught said.
'The pandemic itself shifted everyone's behaviours. In terms of business events, I think the fact that we all got used to Zooming in and there was the option to watch conferences online, it's now an expectation that that's provided.
'In terms of social events, large festivals, I think people are preferring to spend their money at smaller, bespoke, unique festivals. The people who were coming of age during Covid, I guess they never had that rite of passage of attending large festivals and events, so it's not been part of their experience.
'Another trend we're noticing is that people are purchasing tickets closer to events, which makes it harder to plan, particular for smaller businesses.'
Jarrad Thessman, who runs festival event management business Midnight Assembly, agreed the pandemic had contributed to challenges for the live music industry, pointing to 2022-23 statistics from industry body APRA AMCOS showing 1300 live music venues that host small to medium gigs having closed since Covid.
'There's definitely less interest in mass gatherings and social outings in that late teens, early 20s ­cohort, and the challenge for event organisers in all sectors is communicating the unique selling proposition of event attendance,' Mr Thessman said.
'We previously didn't require such overt communication of the benefits of in-person gathering. Now you've got to call out the benefit that comes from being in the room, and that's evident across corporate and business events, as well as festivals and live music.'
Mr Thessman also pointed to the Victorian government's cancellation of the Commonwealth Games as a decision that was 'logical in the context of the state budget, but illogical in the context of the event industry, and failed to fully consider the benefit that could have come from that opportunity being correctly executed.'
Bonnie Hamilton, who runs the largest event recruitment company in Australia, Apex Event Recruitment, said the labour force data came as little surprise, with her business currently advertising just three roles in Melbourne compared with 19 in Sydney.
'We've actually seen major growth in other markets like Queensland, WA and SA,' Ms Hamilton said.
Opposition events spokesman Sam Groth said Labor had cut $6.6m from Victoria's business events program, 'one of the highest-yielding parts of Victoria's tourism and events sector'.
'It's no surprise industry professionals are heading interstate to find work,' Mr Groth said.
'Victoria needs a sustainable events calendar, not just one-off blockbuster events that deliver a sugar hit but offer no long-term jobs. The government must do more to support stable careers in this industry.'
The Allan government said working from home 'works for families and it's good for the ­economy.' Read related topics: Coronavirus Nation
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