On 6 December 2021 the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, released the final report on the insurance crisis facing Australia’s amusement, leisure, and recreation sector. 

The report, The Show Must Go On, finds a Discretionary Mutual Fund (DMF) is the most practical and durable solution to enable the amusement, leisure and recreation sector to remain operational in a hardened global insurance market.

Building on this report supporting the Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreations Association (AALARA) proposal for the creation of a DMF, the Ombudsman developed a survey to understand the ongoing effects of the availability and affordability of public liability insurance on the industry in July 2022.

The survey was designed to quantify the extent of the reported unavailability of insurance and its effects on activity and the future viability of the industry. Analysis of the survey results and industry insights arising since the earlier report are captured in the Additional Insights Supporting a Discretionary Mutual Fund for the Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Industry.

The report concluded that ALAARA’s proposal to establish a discretionary mutual fund (DMF) remains the most suitable option in response to significant public liability insurance dysfunction. A DMF would be able to impose conditions of entry standards for members and enforce strong risk-management culture and procedures, reducing the likelihood of accidents.

Background

On 04 June 2021 Bruce Billson launched a Review of the Discretionary Mutual Fund proposed for small businesses in the amusement, leisure and recreation sector unable to secure essential insurance coverage.

On 20 October 2021 the interim report was released. In the report The Ombudsman called for submissions from those in the industry. The interim report followed ASBFEO's 2020 inquiry into the insurance market for small businesses, and approaches to the Office by a number of business sectors still unable to secure insurance coverage. The 2021 Budget partially implemented recommendation 8 from the Insurance Inquiry, by establishing a reinsurance pool for cyclone and flood coverage in Northern Australia. 

Media releases

Ombudsman launches Review of Discretionary Mutual Fund proposal

Ombudsman’s report says the show must go on

Ombudsman’s final report finds ‘Show Must Go On’ despite insurance crisis

Submissions

The Overview, Interim Report, and Final Report are available below.