Victorian small businesses say they have been left out of Covid-19 financial support

Some Victorian small businesses say they have been left out of the state government’s latest emergency financial support package.

Tim Wallace says he lost about 60 per cent of business last week during Melbourne’s fifth lockdown. Picture: Aaron Francis

Some Victorian small businesses say they have been left out of the state government’s latest emergency financial support package, even after lockdowns forced their shuttering or a massive reduction in working hours.

Industry support Minister Martin Pakula unveiled a second round of funding last week worth $282.5m for businesses that lost work due to health restrictions after the state was locked down for a fifth time from July 16.

But the apparent exclusion of some businesses and confusion about whether or not others can apply for grants has left painters and handymen unsure of their eligibility for the business costs assistance program. Meanwhile, it is clear brothels and florists can apply for financial support.

Outdoor and indoor “essential” home maintenance are allowed to go ahead under Victoria’s latest lockdown rules, forcing many Melburnians to cancel or postpone scheduled maintenance.

Melbourne-based small business owner Naomi Salamat said her largely residential painting business, Prestige Painting, could not operate during lockdowns but the trade was not included in the eligible list of ANZSIC industry codes allowed to apply for grants of up to $7000.

The 45-year-old estimated she spent a total of about six-and-a-half hours on hold with Business Victoria to resolve the issue.

“It’s just frustrating and disappointing the process for the application changed in lockdown four to what it had been in previous lockdowns,” Ms Salamat said.

“All the conditions seem to be the same … it was just this time they have put in these codes. Someone within the government seems to have arbitrarily picked out these ones.”

So far neither Business Victoria, Mr Pakula nor the Premier’s office could tell her whether or not the business was eligible for a grant or which code she needed to use in the application. “(It would be good) if Business Victoria could answer that question, not just say if you are not on the list you can’t get anything,” she said.

Handyman of Melbourne owner Tim Wallace estimated that he lost about 60 per cent of his scheduled work during the lockdown last week. “Providing that lockdown lifts at midnight I will be okay for the next two days. But if it gets extended I suspect there will be more cancellations,” the 40-year-old said.

Mr Wallace said he hoped to apply for financial assistance but believed it was now too late and applications had closed.

Housing Industry Association Victoria chief Fiona Nield did not think many of the smaller trade businesses including handymen or painters were eligible.

“By and large the industry has mostly been able to stay open but there is this small group of businesses that haven’t,” she said.

A Victorian government spokesperson said: “In industries that are permitted to open, but where hours of work have reduced, the Commonwealth Covid-19 Disaster Payment is available.”