More than a third of companies in Ballarat were accessing the federal government's JobKeeper program in May, highlighting the massive blow to businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Commerce Ballarat chief executive Jodie Gillett said it was not surprising so many businesses were needing to access JobKeeper due to a loss of trade.
"It has been an incredibly important help to many businesses," she said.
"We are pleading with the government to continue monitoring JobKeeper and to modify it to ensure it is doing what it needs to do."
Actuarial consultancy Taylor Fry's analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics and Treasury data shows 36.6 per cent of Ballarat businesses were accessing JobKeeper in May.
While Ballarat businesses have fared better than some other regions, the level of more than one in three businesses on JobKeeper is 0.8 per cent above the national average.
In Hepburn Shire, a region encompassing popular tourist destination Daylesford, 46.09 per cent of businesses accessed the JobKeeper scheme in May.
Areas most impacted are tourist and residential areas.
- Alan Greenfield , Taylor Fry principal
This is the one of the highest levels recorded in regional Victoria, behind the Surf Coast at 46.91 per cent.
Taylor Fry principal Alan Greenfield said the data analysis revealed the impact of COVID-19 restrictions varied greatly, even between neighbouring local government areas.
"Areas most impacted are tourist and residential areas," he said.
In Moorabool, 34.98 per cent of businesses accessed JobKeeper in May, 33.32 per cent in Golden Plains and 26.02 per cent in Pyrenees.
Companies that have experienced a 30 per cent fall in revenue in the COVID-19 downturn are eligible to access JobKeeper and claim a $1500 a fortnight subsidy to keep staff employed.
More than 90 per cent of companies claiming JobKeeper are small businesses, according to Taylor Fry.
Ms Gillett is advocating for the federal government to make three changes to the JobKeeper program.
The first is to enable businesses to replace employees under the system and the second to reduce businesses obligation to make payments from a month to a fortnight in advance.
The third requested change is to use a six to 12 month average rather than the month of February to calculate the number of hours a staff member worked pre-COVID, which would be particularly relevant when the staggered payments are introduced at the end of September.
The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) chief executive Peter Strong said the number of businesses on JobKeeper highlighted the challenges and the need for support from local customers.
Ms Gillett said there had never been a more important time for people to be conscious about where they were spending their money and who they were supporting.
"Our businesses in Ballarat are our family, our friends and our neighbours. We want people to support local and help them survive," she said/
The in-depth geographical analysis of JobKeeper payments across Australia is available at taylorfry.com.au/articles/jobkeeper-reliance-may/.
COSBOA is running a six-month campaign supported by the federal government encouraging Australians to Go Local First and buy from small businesses whenever they can.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
