Territorians’ fury over ‘sudden’ deadline to apply for tradie Home Improvement Scheme

FRUSTRATED Territorians — keen to take advantage of the NT Government’s Home Improvement Scheme offer — flooded talkback radio in fury after realising they would not be able to get their tradies’ quotes in by 5pm Friday to be eligible

The Territory Government will double its Home Improvement Scheme stimulus package to more than $60 million, after receiving more than 10,000 applications in less than a month. Picture: ThinkStock

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FRUSTRATED Territorians — keen to take advantage of the NT Government’s Home Improvement Scheme offer — flooded talkback radio in fury on Friday morning after realising they needed to get their tradies’ quotes in by 5pm that afternoon to be eligible.

Katie Woolf, speaking on her 360 show on MIX104.9, said that the station’s switchboard had lit up with callers ringing in to say the first they had heard of the 5pm Friday deadline was when it was mentioned on Thursday when the Government said it was planning to double its stimulus package.

Under the heading “Program End’ on the Government’s website detailing the scheme, it says: No further applications will be accepted after 12 noon on 31 October 2020 ...”

The Government said on Thursday it would double its Home Improvement Scheme stimulus package — introduced in light of the coronavirus crisis — to more than $60 million, after receiving more than 10,000 applications in less than a month.

However, angry callers said the “suddenly announced" deadline was impossible to meet.

Several said that they had been trying to organise tradies to come to their homes for quotes since the scheme was announced.

However, since the tradies had been kept so busy quoting jobs, many were scheduled to come out next week, which will now be too late for residents to get applications in and be eligible.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner revealed interest in the coronavirus stimulus package, which aims to encourage a huge injection of cash into the Territory economy by supporting tradies and other small business owners working in carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, and fencing, had “blown away” expectations.

He said this would give NT tradies a “massive pipeline of work” over the next 12 months.

Territory homeowners who want to receive up to $6000 to undertake renovations and improvements to their property by a local business or tradie, after chipping in a percentage of their own funds, will need to apply for it by 5pm on April 17.

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“To get the biggest and best bang for our buck – we are expanding and extending the scheme,” Mr Gunner said.

“No one (whose application is approved) misses out, no one is cut off, no one is left behind.

“We expect that will nearly double our initial investment to more than $60 million in vouchers for Territorians.”

The initial Home Improvement Scheme was part of the government’s $65 million Jobs Rescue and Recovery plan, which included $20 million for a Business Improvement Grant Scheme.

It comes as the Chief Minister on Wednesday announced the second tranche of measures for the government’s $50 million Small Business Survival Fund.

The measures specifically target hospitality, restaurant, tourism and entertainment businesses.

Worth a total of $20 million, eligible business will be able to access fortnightly payments between $1000 and $15,000 depending on the number of employees they had to help pay wages.

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The NT Government’s plan with this package is to plug the gaps in the Federal Government’s unprecedented $130 billion JobKeeper package, which excluded casuals and workers hired less than 12 months ago and temporary visa holders including international students.

Under the Federal Government’s JobKeeper payment, a business would receive $1500 a fortnight per employee.