COVID in Ballarat: Government announces extra support for struggling businesses

With data showing that many Ballarat businesses, particularly hospitality, take at least six weeks after lockdown to get back to pre-COVID trading levels, business leaders fear this latest lockdown will cripple already struggling small businesses.

Victorian Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said the new support packaged, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian governments, would provide automatic payments to almost 100,000 eligible businesses, including sole traders.

Further hardship funds will be made available to eligible businesses that do not qualify for existing programs.

Commerce Ballarat chief Jodie Gillett welcomed the extra funding but said it would not be enough.

"It's a very small token as opposed to the kinds of losses they are incurring and I keep thinking back to what one business owner said to me, 'it's like like throwing a bucket of water on a bushfire every bit helps but ..'."

Ms Gillett said despite extensive funding there were still some small businesses falling through the cracks, unable to access the extra support.

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Eligible workers across the state who lose hours due to lockdown and businesses who do not qualify for Victorian government support programs because they are not registered for GST will be able to access federally-funded COVID-19 Disaster Payments, while the Victorian Government will fund the payments in Ballarat and other regional areas not declared a hotspot by the Commonwealth.

And an extra $54 million will be added to the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund , allowing grants of up to $8000 to be paid to small businesses that are not eligible for support under existing programs and have experienced a 70 per cent reduction in turnover.

Further funding of the Business Costs Assistance Program, Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and Alpine Business Support Program were also announced.

"Every little bit helps but what they really need to do is to trade and be able to trade themselves out of the debt they are in, Every time we get a lockdown it sets them further back," Ms Gillett said.

To help local businesses Commerce Ballarat is launching a Ballarat Pizza Challenge, retail challenge and has asked people to write messages of support for their favourite local business on the Commerce Ballarat Facebook page.

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