JobKeeper Gold Coast: Suburbs with most applications for financial support

Six of the 10 areas with the most businesses signing up for JobKeeper are on the Gold Coast tourist strip, new figures have revealed.

SURFERS Paradise has been confirmed as one of the state’s hardest hit suburbs during the coronavirus lockdown.

New Treasury data has revealed six of the 10 areas with the most businesses signing up to JobKeeper are on the Gold Coast tourist strip.

Surfers Paradise, Southport, Nerang, Ashmore-Arundel-Molendinar, Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach have all had between 2000 and 3000 businesses apply for JobKeeper.

Cairns and Brisbane CBD had the highest number of JobKeeper recipients, followed by Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.

The new figures come as pressure on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to open the state’s borders reaches a new level of intensity with owners threatening to rebel against restrictions.

Now top officials are in discussions to open the state to New Zealand allowing visitors back into the Gold Coast’s tourism hot spots.

Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista said a travel bubble between Australia and NZ, with direct flights to Gold Coast’s doorstep, would be a “much-needed shot in the arm for our struggling tourism operators”.

“The Gold Coast is the second most popular Australian destination for Kiwis.”

The JobKeeper payment was introduced in March at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in Australia.

Thousands of Gold Coast business owners are relying on JobKeeper payments with Surfers Paradise revealed as one of the state’s worst hit suburbs. (Photo: William WEST / AFP)

Eligible employers and sole traders can apply to receive $1500 per employee per fortnight, paid by the Australian Taxation Office, to keep workers on the payroll.

There have been more than 160,000 Queensland businesses who have signed up to the scheme, designed to keep staff members on the payroll during the pandemic lockdown. There are 844,000 businesses nationwide on the scheme, with Treasury estimating it will cover 3.5 million Australians.

The scheme was intended to run until September 27, but is under review.

Labor has been critical of the scheme for not covering arts and university sectors.