How Victorian construction businesses can claim the grant announced Saturday

The Victorian treasurer has announced one-off payments for tradies and businesses hurt by the two-week construction shutdown – here’s how to get yours.

Victorian tradies can soon claim a one-off cash payment from the state government following a two-week shutdown of the construction sector amid violent protests.

Applications will open in “mid-October” through website business.vic.gov.au, state treasurer Tim Pallas announced Saturday.

Tradies can apply to be notified by email through the site ahead of guidelines to be published next week, he said.

To be eligible for the ‘Business Costs Assistance Program Round Four – Construction’ grants, businesses must be registered under relevant construction-sector ANZSIC codes, have a Victorian payroll of less than $10 million a year, have incurred direct costs due to construction sector restrictions, and be registered for GST.

The construction sector shutdown followed protests that began with workers blocking traffic with an outdoor break room last month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The $196.6 million package of cash grants is expected to cover 70,000 businesses including sole traders in Melbourne, Geelong, the Surf Coast and Mitchell shire.

The grants are for Victorians hurt by the shutdown which ends Tuesday.

The following business can apply if they were negatively affected by construction restrictions between September 21 and October 4:

• Eligible non-employing sole trader businesses will receive a one-off payment of $2000
• Businesses with an annual payroll of up to $650,000 can receive up to $2800
• Businesses with an annual payroll of $650,000 to $3 million can receive $5600
• Businesses with an annual payroll of $3 million to $10 million can receive $8400

Businesses must have not previously received support under the ‘Business Cost Assistance Program’ or the ‘Small Business Covid Hardship Fund’.

Mr Pallas claimed on Saturday the grants would be double if the federal government had not “refused” to co-fund the payment, taking a swipe at the “Prime Minister for NSW” for being “churlish”.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas ripped into the federal government on Saturday for “refusing” to co-fund the tradies grants. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

“The commonwealth has broken with its well-established principle of co-funding business support packages 50:50 with states across the country – despite having funded NSW construction businesses during their recent construction shutdown,” he said.

Tradies continue to be eligible for the federal government’s separate Covid-19 Disaster Payments, if they have lost hours of work due to restrictions and are not eligible for state support.

The disaster payments are set at $450 for people who have lost from eight to 20 hours work or a full day of work – over seven days – and $750 for 20 hours or more of work lost.

Originally published as How Victorian construction businesses can claim the grant announced Saturday