Live Performance Award Allowances 2025–26
Rates effective 24 October 2025 · MA000081
Allowances under the Live Performance Award are extra payments for specific conditions, skills, or expenses. They are one of the most commonly missed entitlements after penalty rates.
Current allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle allowance (use of own vehicle) | $0.98 per km | If your employer requires you to use your own motor vehicle for work, you are entitled to a per-kilometre allowance. |
| Tools & equipment allowance (Head of Department) | $11.03 per week | If you are a head of department required to supply your own tools and equipment, you are entitled to a weekly tools allowance. |
| Tools & equipment allowance (other employees) | $1.14 per shift | If you are required to supply your own tools and equipment (other than as a head of department), you are entitled to a daily tools allowance. |
| Meal allowance (working late) | $23.18 per meal | If you work after 8pm (or in back-to-back performances), you are entitled to a meal allowance for each meal interval that occurs during that work. |
| Meal allowance (touring/travelling — short trips) | $36.04 per meal | If you are required to travel away from home for a period of less than 5 working days and meals are not provided by the employer, you are entitled to a meal allowance per meal period. |
| Meal allowance (touring/travelling — 5+ working days) | $73.11 per day | If you are required to travel for 5 or more working days and meals are not provided by the employer, the meal allowance is up to $73.11 per day (max $365.53 per week). |
| Laundry allowance (full-time) | $4.50 per week | Full-time employees required to launder uniforms or costume pieces at their own expense are entitled to a weekly laundry allowance: $4.50/week for blouses/shirts, $11.69/week for other items. |
| Laundry allowance (part-time & casual) | $3.60 per shift | Part-time and casual employees required to launder uniforms or costume pieces are entitled to $3.60 per day, up to a maximum of $16.29 per week. |
| Incidentals allowance (touring) | $22.19 per day | When you are required to travel away from home for work, you are entitled to a daily incidentals allowance of $22.19 (up to $110.93 per week). |
| Sound & lighting overtime and penalty allowance | $0.00 | Touring sound & lighting employees receive an embedded allowance in their hourly rate that compensates for the overtime and unsociable hours typical of touring work. This is already factored into the Touring S&L rates shown in the calculator — it does not need to be added separately. |
See also: Pay rates | Allowances & loadings guide
Source: Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000081, effective 24 October 2025.
Not sure if your Live Performance Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required