Northern beaches COVID lockdown report on what support is needed due in two weeks

Recommendations on how to help northern beaches businesses devastated by the lockdown could be ready in two weeks. But it may come too late to save some.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 03: A couple wearing masks walk along The Corso in Manly. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

A report which will help shape the NSW Government’s relief response for businesses impacted by the recent northern beaches lockdown is expected to be completed in the next two weeks.

If adopted by the State Government, it could become a blueprint for how to support businesses which find themselves in similar situations in the future.

However, Commissioner for the NSW Small Business Commission, Chris Lamont, who is compiling the independent report, said that he was hearing that many peninsula businesses would not survive another lockdown and that was something that would also be included in his report.

Chris Lamont, Commissioner of the NSW Business Commission, who is compiling a report on the impact on businesses of the recent lockdown on the northern beaches. Picture: Supplied.

“We are going to be living with COVID in 2021 and beyond,” he said.

“We need greater certainty for businesses.

“If there are further lockdowns we need to learn from what has happened previously.”

Businesses and residents south of Narrabeen bridge were locked down for two weeks over the festive period, while those north of the bridge were in lockdown for three weeks.

Mr Lamont, who has been talking to business owners and local chambers of commerce on the ground and via video conferencing, said two main issues that stand out so far is that a lot of businesses were relying on the festive trading period to get them through winter and the other is the poor mental state of some business owners.

A shopper uses a QR code at a supermarket at The Corso in Manly. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

“I’m concerned about the mental health of some business owners,” Mr Lamont said.

“Sometimes we think about business as simply a transaction.

“But these are people’s lives.

“These are businesses that in some cases have been operating for decades.

“Naturally there’s a lot of emotion and attachment, not just to their staff but their community.”

He said he had found that many people are not aware of the support and assistance available for their mental health.

He said many were also not aware of the financial assistance that is already available to businesses.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Pittwater MP Rob Stokes is to meet with Mr Lamont tomorrow. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

For example he said there is an affordable mediation service that businesses can access to help those who are in dispute with their landlord over rent, often avoiding the need to go to court.

Mr Lamont said while it is too early to say which industries have suffered the most from the lockdown, it was no surprise that he was hearing that the hospitality industry has been badly impacted, as well as anything to do with tourism.

He said there have also been some businesses that have done quite well during the lockdown.

Pittwater state Liberal MP Rob Stokes said some of the stories he was hearing from local business owners were “gut-wrenching”, including people accessing their Super to pay staff wages.

The stigma of the ‘Avalon cluster’ was something that had to be addressed, Mr Stokes said. Pictured are COVID tests being done at the Avalon drive through testing clinic in Avalon Beach. Picture: Tim Hunter.

He said while many businesses both south and north suffered during the lockdown, it was more acute in the north where the lockdown went on for longer and hit harder.

He said he was meeting with Mr Lamont and other business owners in Pittwater tomorrow.

He said one of the issues that needed to be tackled was overcoming the stigma and loss of reputation, especially for Avalon, which was at the centre of the cluster.

“This report will be pretty influential,” Mr Stokes said.

Member for Manly James Griffin is fighting to help save businesses. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

Manly state Liberal MP James Griffin said ideas that came about from a taskforce he set up to help Manly businesses after the first lockdown are still relevant now.

He said he would like to see support for a marketing campaign for Manly and the surrounding areas to get visitors to spend money here this winter, a normally quiet time of the year for traders.

He said other ideas that came about from the taskforce such as the Market Lane Live initiative, an outdoor wine bar in Market La, was again back up and running from Thursday to Sunday following the lifting of restrictions.

Mr Griffin said it was hoped relief and assistance including the Dine and Discover vouchers would be in place for businesses by Australia Day.

However, he said some businesses were saying they had been hit so hard they didn’t know whether they would survive the next week or two.

Independent Member for Warringah Zali Steggall is calling on the federal government for help. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Meanwhile, independent federal MP for Warringah, Zali Steggall, has also called on the federal government to help, with no luck so far.

“We have had many emails coming to our office from businesses asking for support during such a challenging 2020 and this summer,” she said.

“I have written to the Federal Treasurer twice asking for immediate financial assistance and was disappointed that there would be no new financial support for northern beaches businesses. I’m now liaising with the Chambers of Commerce and Business about their situation and will be responding to the Treasurer.”