Covid-19: Bubble bursts for small businesses ‘left out in the cold’

Performer Genevieve Freeman has not seen a cent of support from the NSW government during Sydney’s latest lockdown.

Bubbleheads Sydney entertainer Genevieve Freeman. Picture: Jane Dempster

Effervescent children’s entertainer Genevieve Freeman is anxiously waiting for the NSW government to give her something to smile about.

The performer has lost 100 per cent of her income during the latest lockdown, including $6500 from gigs for which she adorns herself in thousand-dollar costumes to engage her young fans.

But a week after Treasurer Dominic Perrottet pledged help was on its way, she and thousands of other small business owners have heard nothing, and it’s enough to, well, burst her bubble.

“As entertainers we end up with nothing, no income coming in at all when these restrictions kick in,” the owner of Bubbleheads Sydney said.

Mr Perrottet last Tuesday announced a package of $5000 to $10,000 grants to small businesses that have been crippled by the latest Greater Sydney lockdown.

But those established for less than 12 months, or turned over less than $75,000 a year such as Ms Freeman, were “left out in the cold”. With a third of small businesses ineligible for the scheme, Mr Perrottet had indicated he was “looking at” expanding the package.

But by the end of the week, no additional support from the state government had been forthcoming, with Mr Perrottet saying on Sunday that he would announce something “in the coming days”.

Photographer Liz Ham, who also does not meet the $75,000 threshold, said the current scheme “doesn’t help the people who actually need support”. “More support is needed to revitalise a dead cultural landscape,” she said.

Last week a parliamentary petition, launched by Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully, was formulated in a bid to have the eligibility criteria widened.

“Sydney small businesses have had a really hard time for more than a year now, and a lot of businesses are stressed that if they’re being measured on their last year of activity they wouldn’t be making their usual earnings,” Ms Scully said.

Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich said the petition was an opportunity for Sydneysiders to support the arts sector.

More than 6000 people have signed the petition, which needs 20,000 signatories by July 22 to be discussed in parliament.