Victorian Government announces unprecedented $3 billion support for businesses
Daniel Andrews has announced the biggest package of business support in the history of Victoria as the state grapples with virus lockdown.
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An extra $3 billion in cash grants, tax relief and cashflow support will be made available to Victorian businesses in a bid to keep them afloat during the extended coronavirus shutdown.
In what Premier Daniel Andrews described as “the biggest package of business support in the history of this state”, more than $1 billion of that funding will support small and medium sized businesses that are most affected by the restrictions.
“It needs to be unprecedented in nature because the challenge that businesses large and small face is equally,” he said on Sunday.
“We want to get to the other side and we want to make sure that, yes, we’ve protected lives, but we’ve also protected livelihoods.
“This is very, very significant, but it’s what’s needed.”
Mr Andrews said he would brief Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the details of the plan this afternoon.
It will include $251 million to support bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels and reception centres through a Licenced Venue Fund.
There will also be grants of up to $20,000 available to businesses in alpine resorts, to help make up for restrictions that have prevented visitors to the ski fields.
The government will defer payroll tax for businesses with payrolls of up to $10 million for the 2020-21 financial year, and will waive or defer $137 million in charges including liquor licence fees, the congestion levy and increases to the landfill levy.
Mr Andrews was joined by Jobs Minister Martin Pakula, who said the package added to support that has been received by more than 100,000 businesses in the early rounds of assistance.
The Premier also confirmed the state of emergency would continue for an extra four weeks.
He said the cooperation of Victorians would play an “enormous part” in fighting the virus, and in working towards a “summer like no other”.
“It will be a very different end of this year and 2021 will be a very different year than 2020 has been,” he said.
“That’s our aim, and that’s exactly what we’ll deliver with the amazing help and support of every single Victorian.”
Mr Andrews said cases in regional Victoria had now dropped to an average 4.1 cases per day, and regional areas could reach the threshold to enter step three this week.
That would mean residents would no longer have restrictions on when to leave their homes, and schools could return to onsite learning from term four.
“I’m very proud of every regional Victorian,” he said.
“Every Melburnian should look with hope and positivity to what’s happening in regional Victoria as not a theoretical exercise… but a real live exercise.
“This strategy is working.”
The state recorded 41 new virus cases on Sunday and seven new deaths.
It comes after Victoria recorded its lowest number in three months a day earlier.
Strict lockdown measures were originally drafted to ease today, however the date has been pushed back to September 28 at the earliest.
But, in welcome news for Victorians, some minor easing of restrictions will kick in from tonight.
The curfew that applies to metro Melbourne will be pushed from 8pm to 9pm, and Melburnians will be allowed to exercise away from their homes for two hours each day – up from the previous one.
People living alone or single parents will also be allowed to form a social bubble by inviting one other person into their home.
Later on Sunday, the Chapel Street Precinct association welcomed the support package announcement.
General Manager Chrissie Maus said the state’s businesses are in need of “help and hope” from the government and community.
“This monetary boost could not come soon enough, as many were ‘going to the wall’,” she said.
“It is now also important that we, as a community, do everything we can to support our local businesses, so each and every one of us can together help get every single business to the other side of this pandemic.”
The group’s chairperson, Justin O’Donnell, said he was relieved to hear that financial aid would be extended to businesses.
“Let’s hope it is substantial enough and that it is fast-tracked as every day now is critical to business survival,” he said.
Originally published as Victorian Government announces unprecedented $3 billion support for businesses