The Star Entertainment Group

When the federal government directed non-essential indoor venues to close their doors in March 2020 in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic it was a decision that forced The Star Entertainment Group to temporarily stand down more than 95 per cent of their almost 9,000 staff.

The personal and human impacts arising from the crisis were significant and remained so for several months as restrictions prevented The Star's properties in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane from returning to pre-COVID levels of operation.

The Board and Management were mindful of the ramifications for their workforce, and mitigation programs were developed.

In May, Star launched their SOS payment scheme - Star Offers Support. This support was for team members experiencing sudden and severe financial hardship as a result of the pandemic.

"Our workforce is the heartbeat of our business. To ensure our most vulnerable team members were provided with financial support in such unforeseen circumstances was never in doubt." Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier said.

Between May and October 2020, The Star ran six rounds of the SOS hardship program, approving over 620 requests for support for a direct contribution to team members of around $4 million.

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