Manly Business Chamber calls out delays in hardship grants for northern beaches businesses
New funds have been made available for businesses struggling through the pandemic, as a hold up with the hardship grants continues.
Manly
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A new $1500 rebate scheme designed to help tens of thousands of small businesses pay for NSW and local government fees and charges, such as licences, council rates, and registration fees will open early next month.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the Small Business Fees and Charges Rebate, which was announced in November’s Budget, will provide support for eligible small businesses, sole traders and non-profit organisations.
Businesses will be able to access the scheme through Service NSW.“Many licence fee waivers are about to expire and I encourage small businesses below the new 2020-21 payroll tax threshold of $1.2 million to apply for this new rebate scheme,” Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said.
Under the scheme, small businesses, sole traders and non-profit organisations can apply to be reimbursed up to $1500 for NSW and local government fees and charges that are related to the cost of doing business.
These include:
·Food authority licences· Liquor licences
·Tradesperson licences
· Event fees· Council rates· Business vehicle registration fees
The scheme cannot be used for fees and charges specifically excluded under policy guidelines, such as fines and penalties, and will only be available for those charges and fees that are due and paid after March 1, 2021.
It will be available via Service NSW in early April and will run until 30 June 2022.Go to www.service.nsw.gov.au/small-business-fees-and-charges-rebate.
It follows Manly business leaders on Friday criticising a delay in the hardship grants promised by the government saying the money, when it transpires, could come too late for some.
The offer of grants, which range from $3000 to $5000 per business, was made by the NSW Government in February in response to the devastating fallout of the second localised COVID lockdown at Christmas.
The grants were announced with fanfare by Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope, Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Minister for Planning Rob Stokes, State MP James Griffin and Manly Business Chamber President, Charlotte Rimmer to a large media gathering.
Details of the Dine and Discover vouchers were also given.
It followed an independent review in January of the fallout of the second lockdown on the peninsula where the feedback was that businesses needed funds quickly.
However, 10 weeks after the end of the lockdown, business owners have not yet seen one cent.Ms Rimmer, who was part of the media call in February, said these grants were seen as vital to ensure confidence in small business and to assist in paying staff costs and rent.
“This is not good enough,” she said.“The NSW State Government Hardship Grants were awarded to help small businesses in dire straits. “It is six weeks since this announcement, and we are approaching 60 days in payment terms.
“This is neither reasonable nor realistic. This money is needed for small businesses now.
“The grants are essential to support businesses immediately, and we are chasing Service NSW daily for information.”
While we appreciate the support of both state and local Governments, we acknowledge that there is a long road ahead to recovery.
Manly MP James Griffin said businesses can start getting their applications and supporting information ready from Monday when Service NSW launches the pre-registration page for the grants program.
“This means money can be out the door and into local business accounts as soon as the grants open in April,” he said.
“I share the frustration of some business owners and want the grants rolled out as soon as possible.
“In addition to Dine and Discover and the marketing campaign underway for Manly, the State Government is working hard as it can to support our businesses.”
Businesses are encouraged to sign up to the Service NSW Business Portal to receive information and regular updates on support measures available to them www.mybusiness.service.nsw.gov.au.
Meanwhile, Mr Griffin in less than a month since the pilot started on the northern beaches over half a million dollars has been spent in local businesses with people using their vouchers.
“Manly and the northern beaches have smashed this out of the park in taking the right attitude in response to adversity and getting right behind the Dine and Discover Program,” Mr Griffin said.
EARLIER:
'Back in business': Voucher plan offers fresh hope after COVID lockdown
On February 22.
Vouchers giving patrons cash discounts for food and entertainment are set to be rolled out on the northern beaches as part of a NSW Government $500 million COVID-19 rescue package.
To help hospitality, arts and tourism businesses hit hard by tough pandemic lockdowns, locals are being urged to apply for $25 vouchers and spend, spend, spend.
And authorities are urging eligible businesses — including cafes, restaurants, movie theatres and kayak hire outlets — to register for the Dine & Discover economic stimulus package.
Earlier this month the Government launched a pilot of the scheme — which gives NSW residents four $25 vouchers to spend on food or entertainment — in Broken Hill and The Rocks in Sydney.
Now residents and businesses on the northern beaches — as well as the Bega Valley and parts of the Sydney CBD — can take advantage of the freebies as part of the second phase of the pilot program.
The local voucher rollout comes as the Northern Beaches Council is set to release figures showing that the estimated cost of the two pandemic lockdowns to the council, since March 2020, was $29 million.
There was a sharp drop in revenue from parking fines and fees, hiring council halls, closed public pools, a suspension of the Glen St Theatre and a drop in campers at the Lakeside Caravan Park at Narrabeen.
The council also had to put up about $8 million to assist the government’s COVID testing program on the northern beaches. The council's total income last financial year was $365 million.
At a media conference in a popular Avalon Beach cafe — Beco@Chelsea — Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said the Dine & Discover program would stimulate the local economy.
Mr Dominello said more than 700 businesses on the northern beaches had registered to take part.
He said, for residents, it was as simple as going to the Service NSW website and downloading the Service NSW App that has a QR code which customers present at businesses registered with the program.
“Hopefully you spend more than $25," he said.
“The business gets the money within five days and that’s a win, win for everyone.
“It’s important we support the industries that have been hardest hit … the hospitality and tourism venues.”
Small Business Minister Damien Tudehope said having the second phase of the pilot of the program was a “big thank you to the people of the northern beaches for sacrificing so much” during the Christmas/New year lockdown.
Manly state Liberal MP James Griffin said the Dine & Discover program, combined with government business grants, a concerted marketing campaign encouraging people to visit the region and the recently announced World Surf League competition at North Narrabeen, meant: “The Beaches are back in business”.
Rob Stokes, the Pittwater state Liberal MP, said Avalon Beach helped look after the wider NSW community during the recent COVID lockdown.
“Now it’s time for all of us to look after Avalon Beach,” Mr Stokes said.
“The Dine & Discover vouchers are big way the local community (can) inject more funding into local business to help them get over that terrible time.”
From March, all NSW residents aged 18 or more will be eligible for 4 x $25 vouchers.
The vouchers will be divided into two categories: two x $25 vouchers to be used for eating in at restaurants, cafes, bars, wineries, pubs and clubs from Monday to Thursday (excluding public holidays).
Two $25 vouchers can be used for entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues, any day of the week (excluding public holidays).
Co-owner of Beco@Chelsea, Rita Costa, said the business had suffered during the beaches’ lockdowns, but she hoped the voucher scheme will rebuild her clientele.
“It was very hard, financially and mentally as well,” Ms Costa said. "It was (usually) the busiest time of year for us and we had to shut everything.”
At Frank’s Bar, a licensed cafe in the Garden Court Arcade on Avalon Pde, owner Richard Simec was upbeat about the future.
“I’m registered for Dine & Discover,” he said. “This is a very community-minded area and people do come out and support local businesses.“My customers supported me through the lockdowns with take away business, and I think they will use the vouchers to continue that support.”
The owner of the Sneaky Grind cafe, Lauren Morris, said while business was starting to pick up again, she thought the vouchers would encourage people to spend more on food.
“It will stimulate things, especially in hospitality, and that’s what we need right now.”
Councillor Sarah Grattan has lodged a Notice of Motion at Tuesday night’s council meeting asking that it call on the State Government to waive the $20 million in levies and charges the council pays each year.
Cr Grattan suggested that if the levies were dropped, the money could instead go to help businesses recover to resident ratepayers as a discount on their rates notices.
Mr Dominello said any move to waive NSW Government fees rested with the Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.
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EARLIER:
Businesses react to lockdown compensation
By Julie Cross,
The overwhelming response from northern beaches business owners to the government’s relief package is it won’t come anywhere near making up for the losses they suffered due to the last lockdown at Christmas.
It follows Thursday’s announcement by the NSW Government that it will be offering hardship grants of $3000 and $5000 for those who can prove a decline in turnover of at least 30 per cent during that period.
Money will also be set aside to help promote northern beaches attractions and encourage visitors back to the area.
However, business owners reacted to the news today saying the package will not make up for their losses, but in these desperate times, anything is better than nothing.
Mark Smith from Ocean Master Fish Shop at Newport Beach said “anything helps, but it’s more of an insult than help”.
He said over a two-week period during the lockdown his trade was down 98 per cent.
He said the government knew from the previous lockdown what it would mean for businesses when they ordered a shutdown on the peninsula and said support should have been put in place immediately.
“Help would have nice a month ago,” Mr Smith, who has operated the Newport shop for 28 years, said.
“Hopefully it’s not too late.”
He said having the Dine & Discover vouchers in place during the holiday period instead of in three week would have been more helpful too.
Lasse Hansen, of Avalon Village Meats, said any help was great, but the support being offered was like putting a “bandaid on the problem”.
“Those three weeks (during lockdown) make up 20 to 30 per cent of our yearly income,” he said.
“Because we did not have the houses at Palm Beach rented out to holidaymakers we lost a lot of money.
“It was also too late to cancel our stock.
“We had 200 turkeys arrive and people were cancelling.”
Kurtis Bosley, owner of Corretto Dee Why, said $5000 wouldn’t cover the loss of profits over the traditional busy season.
“The financial package, although being extremely important for businesses, won’t go far as we’ve lost what should be our most profitable couple of months of the year,” he said.
“The approach taken by the government in relation to support again feels like they haven’t consulted small business representatives for these decisions.
“A top level ideology towards small business is not what is needed when we need real support.
“$3000 to $5000 does not help and won’t help the businesses already closed or heavily affected from December and January”.
Meanwhile, Matt Clifton, who owns a number of bars in Manly including Insitu and Donny’s Bar, said he lost tens of thousands of dollars during the lockdown and the government would obviously never be able to help him get that back.
He said what was most needed was consumer confidence to return and a plan for going forward.
He said foot traffic and tourists in Manly were down and people were worried the area was “unsafe”.
At a press conference on Thursday, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet admitted the grants being offered were “certainly not a panacea, but what it does do is provide some support to help businesses with their fixed costs”.
He went onto say businesses on the northern beaches “made enormous sacrifices to keep the rest of the state safe” during the last lockdown and that this package “goes some way in recognising the pain, that sacrifice”.
Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope they realised that some businesses have been hit harder than others, which is why they are taking a tiered approach to these grants.
“The first tier of $3,000 is for small businesses that have suffered at least a 30 per cent decline in turnover due to the northern beaches lockdown,” he said.
“The second tier of $5,000 is for small businesses that have suffered at least a 50 per cent decline in turnover.
“The grants are designed to cover unavoidable costs for which no other government backing is available such as utilities, rent, financial or legal advice and other activities to support the operation of a business.”
Mr Tudehope thanked local businesses for their resilience and patience and for working with the Small Business Commissioner who undertook a report on the impacts of the restrictions on the northern beaches.
He also said there will be improved access to existing support: including mental health resources for small business owners on the SafeWork website, Business Connect, and the Small Business Commission’s mediation services team.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes said plans for a marketing campaign to bring people back to the northern beaches was a vital part of the support package.
He said it was particularly important for Avalon, which was at the centre of the cluster.
“One of the key things that came out of the business meetings that we had was this idea that Avalon is somehow an unsafe place to visit,” Mr Stokes said. “That stigma can cause long term damage.”
“This package will include a marketing campaign that will work with Destination NSW and Northern Beaches Council to bring people back to the beaches.”
The marketing campaign will run alongside the Dine & Discover vouchers — every adult in NSW will get two $25 vouchers to spend in cafes, pubs and clubs and the peninsula is a pilot area.
Member for Manly James Griffin said the marketing campaign was an essential part of the package and already has a working title, Back the Beaches.
He said it would include new videos of the peninsula and interviews with faces behind the businesses.
He said he expected it roll out on many mediums including social media.
More information on the grants and how to apply will be made available on the Service NSW website in the coming weeks.
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