After months of negotiations the collective agreement for performers and crew working at Australia's national opera company, Opera Australia, is nearly finalised. Members unanimously endorsed the new agreement last week which includes a wage increase of 14.5% over a four year agreement, CPI catch-up in the fourth year for any lag over the entire agreement, and 10% superannuation increase to be phased in by the end of the agreement. After a final vote, the new agreement will be lodged with the Workplace Authority and pay increases will flow through in following pay period.

The WA Government must cease its campaign of harassment and intimidation against journalists and introduce shield laws as a matter of utmost urgency, according to the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance. The Alliance was responding to the latest jail threat to Sunday Times reporter Paul Lampathakis for refusing to reveal the source of a story that embarrassed the State Government.

The commencement of the new liquor laws from the Iemma Government last week brought long overdue reform to the regulation of entertainment and live music in NSW. "These laws, alongside recent reform of the NSW planning system which entirely removes the Place of Public Entertainment (PoPE) regulations, will deliver a streamlined environment for live music in NSW that will slash fees and red tape." said musician and Alliance delegate John Wardle. Read our full press release here.

Just Super, the industry super fund for media, entertainment and arts professional merges with Print Super on July 1 to become Media Super. The new fund will manage assets of close to $3 billion and will have over 110,000 members across the printing, media, entertainment and arts industries. Full information on the merger is available here.

The Alliance condemns the NSW Government's failure to deliver on Premier Morris Iemma's promises to revitalise the film industry in New South Wales. Additional funds for the film and television industry in last week's budget would have been a signal that Iemma and his government take the industry seriously. But no additional allocation was announced and the industry is still awaiting his reforms. Read full press release here. Last month the Alliance launched Lights, Camera, More action! - a campaign to bring the NSW film incentives in line with other states.