NSW Budget 2021: Long lunches to return with $100 CBD meal vouchers

The Friday long lunch is back, with the state government handing out $100 vouchers for meals in the CBD in a new budget stimulus measure.

The Friday long lunch is back, with the government poised to hand out $100 vouchers for meals in the CBD as a stimulus measure to revive the hub.

The $50 million investment, to be included in Tuesday’s budget, is NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s bid to support city lunch venues after his calls for Canberra to wind back fringe benefit tax on corporate dining were rebuffed.

Ania Benhamadouche (left) and Clara Pearce enjoy lunch at SkyFeast at Sydney Tower Eye. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The scheme will allow 500,000 people to apply for the vouchers. They will be entitled to four $25 vouchers each.

But unlike the wildly popular “Dine and Discover” vouches, the Friday lunch vouchers will be able to be spent together on a single bill, giving diners a discount of up to $100.

They will be for use on Fridays only, with the scheme also aiming to tackle the increasing trend of CBD workers working from home at the tail end of the week.

The businesses must be located within the 2000 postcode, and the eligibility criteria will match that of the Dine and Discover vouchers.

Dominic Perrottet wants Fridays to become fun days to kick off the weekend in the CBD. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“Friday is a fun day — we have listened to businesses and industry and want to kickstart the weekend,” Mr Perrottet said.

“This will be a targeted program designed to get people back into the CBD and boost business.

“We want people to come in, enjoy what our city has to offer, spend a little extra on retail and services businesses, and in the process create jobs and stimulate the economy.

“It’s about making Fridays fantastic (and) helping the Sydney CBD, which has been hardest hit by the challenges of Covid.”

Victor Dominello said anyone who had already downloaded Dine & Discover vouchers would not need to re-prove their identity.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said the vouchers would be available via the Service NSW app, with non-digital options also available if required.

“It will also be seamless for customers to access and use the vouchers, as there will be no need for them to re-prove their identity if they have already downloaded their Dine & Discover vouchers,” he said.

Mr Perrottet is preparing to hand down his fifth budget — a vastly different set of numbers than anyone would have predicted a year ago.

“Unlike other states we’re not in structural deficit, we’re not going to be significantly increasing taxes on people or cutting services to get the budget back into the black,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We’ve got a pathway back, and at the same time we’re going to invest record amounts in our state and take it to the next level.”

Mr Perrottet will use his budget speech to paint a portrait of pride in our state. He believes this will be a defining feature of years to come.

“People of NSW are for the first time in a long time proud of where we come from and our contribution to the nation,” Mr Perrottet said.

“Most states look at themselves defined by their state.

“In NSW traditionally we are defined by being Australians first. I believe the NSW sentiment has shifted to show more pride in who we are and what we bring to the table.”

He commended the people of NSW for the success of the state, implying no politician should take credit.

“It’s the government that sets the tone. But it’s our people who have done the work to put us in the position that we’re in,” he said.

“Our people haven’t just been nation leaders they’ve been world leaders.”

Mr Perrottet said the government was investing in everything’, including suburban stadiums such as Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

He noted that choosing to freeze public sector wages had been a “hard decision” but the “right decision”.

A decision will be unveiled in the budget as to whether the government has lifted the freeze. Mr Perrottet would not comment, but said he was always look for opportunities to take that step.

He said the infrastructure spend in the budget would continue to grow, adding “we’re investing in everything”.

He said the government had “turned around a $35 billion infrastructure backlog, put $150 billion into infrastructure since coming into office and has over $100 billion over the next four years”.