Massive push to get help to blaze-ravaged retailers

Former governor-general Peter Cosgrove has made an impassioned call to arms to Aussies to back bushfire-ravaged businesses, with stores already shutting down in the wake of the disaster.

Former governor-general Peter Cosgrove has made an impassioned call to arms to Aussies to back bushfire-ravaged businesses, with stores already shutting down in the wake of the disaster.

Sir Peter, who is spearheading the business-led program to help fire-impacted communities, told The Daily Telegraph he was trying to reach retailers “virtually in despair” before more were forced to fold.

On the state’s hard hit south coast, six stores in Bateman’s Bay have recently shut — including popular women’s fashion store Sirens — and art supplies shop Framefast will follow on March 22.

Sir Peter Cosgrove wants people to support bushfire-hit areas with tourism. Picture: John Feder

Sir Peter urged NSW residents to get behind retailers in his role as chair of BizRebuild, a program by the Business Council of Australia to give fire-hit businesses a shot in the arm quickly.

“I want them to just keep in the back of their minds that while life goes on for most Australians, the vast majority of them — there are people who are virtually in despair and what they don’t want their fellow Australians to do is forget them,” he said. “We should never say ‘oh, we’ve got all these good news stories’ when you can point out that in Batemans Bay you’ve got people closing their doors.

Clare Lovelace at her yoga studio in Batemans Bay. Picture: Liam Driver

“It is a race — we’re trying to get to as many people as we can with the sorts of assistance that we can give through BizRebuild.”

BizRebuild is a five-year fund set up to help businesses recover, with the aim of creating jobs and restoring local economies.

It is offering vouchers worth $500 to $2000, which businesses can take to local lawyers or accountants to get advice as well as to stores such as Bunnings to restock tools.

Sir Peter said the fund had already helped businesses in Batemans Bay, but that his team needed to know about other struggling retailers to offer them help before they were forced to close.

Cliff Clarke is about to lose his business. Picture: Liam Driver

BCA chief Jennifer Westacott, who is on BizRebuild’s advisory committee, also urged struggling businesses to put their hand up and seek help. “They’ve got to go and talk to their chamber of commerce because then we have a way of getting in touch with people,” she said.

Eurobodalla Shire Council mayor Liz Innes revealed this week that six businesses have already shut down in Bateman’s Bay, including Sirens.

The next to go will be Framefast Art Haven on March 22, which Cliff Clarke has run for 19 years.

He put the blame solely on the bushfires for the art supplies and framing store's closure: “Everybody lost six weeks of peak trading.”

Clare Lovelace, owner of Soul Tribe Studio in Batemans Bay, said: “it’s usually the busiest period and this year it just wasn’t at all + lots of businesses in town have closed down.”

Originally published as Massive push to get help to blaze-ravaged retailers