One-off grants of $5000 available for all Qld small and medium businesses as Covid-19 lockdown bites

Coronavirus-ravaged businesses finally have access to support payments after the state government announced its first Covid-19 package since the introduction of snap lockdowns, and there’s money available for individuals through the federal government, too.

Coronavirus-ravaged small and medium Queensland businesses will finally have access to support payments with the state government to announce its first Covid-19 package for the sector since the introduction of snap lockdowns.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PAYMENT

One-off payments of $5000 will now be available to businesses across the state, regardless of whether they are in a lockdown area.

To be eligible for this particular grant, a business must have an annual turnover of $75,000 or more and have a payroll of $10m a year or less.

The support package is slated to cost the state government $260m and is designed to help the sector through greater Brisbane’s current three day lockdown.

Some shops will be forced to close in the lockdown. Gasworks Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, on Sunday, August 1, 2021. Photo Steve Pohlner

Treasurer Cameron Dick said Queensland’s economy had “recovered quickly from short sharp lockdowns” but acknowledged the current lockdown has come very soon since the last.

“We understand two lockdowns within a month presents a new challenge, which is why I am announcing this package today,” he said.

Business peak bodies have been crying out for a state government Covid-19 support package since March when Queensland became the first jurisdiction to go into a lockdown after the JobKeeper lifeline had come to an end.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) has estimated a lockdown like the one in March will cost Queensland businesses about $6m, with individual businesses losing between $15,000 to $65,000 in just days.

Policy and advocacy general manager Amanda Rohan, prior to the government’s announcement, said a support package should have been put on the table back in March and it was “shortsighted” that there hadn’t been forward planning.

Ms Rohan said businesses, now facing their third lockdown of the year without support, were “at their tipping point”

“There are businesses that have said we cannot keep doing this, they’ve run out of resourcing themselves,” she said.

“(In July) businesses told us they have been digging in to their own pockets to keep themselves in the game.”

The CCIQ has been calling for a support payment of up to $25,000 for businesses impacted by lockdowns.

Some shoppers went to Bunnings Warehouse, Stafford, Sunday, August 1, 2021. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Dick said the Queensland government’s package was “higher than most other states”.

In New South Wales, businesses impacted by restrictions in greater Sydney — which have been extended to the end of August — are eligible for a one-off payment of between $7,500 and $15,000 with the amount tied to how much turnover had declined.

Seperately, Queenslanders whose income or hours of work have been impacted by the lockdown will be able to claim Covid-19 disaster payments.

Eligible people will receive $750 per week if they have lost 20 or more hours of work, and $450 per week if they have lost between eight and less than 20 hours of work, or a full day of work.

People who currently receive an income support payment can also claim to receive an extra payment of $200 if they have lost more than eight hours of work and meet the other eligibility requirements for the Covid-19 Disaster Payment.

Originally published as One-off grants of $5000 available for all Qld small and medium businesses as Covid-19 lockdown bites