The NSW Government has recently announced a major new grants package and changes to the Dine & Discover program to help tens of thousands of small businesses and people across NSW impacted by the current COVID-19 restrictions.
The package includes:
• grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 for small businesses
• payroll tax deferrals for all employers
• an extension of the Dine & Discover program to 31st August
• the ability for people to use Dine & Discover vouchers for takeaway delivered directly to their home.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the centrepiece of the package was the small business support grants which will help businesses by alleviating cash flow constraints while trading is restricted. This can be used for business expenses such as rent, utilities and wages, for which no other government support is available.
“We always said we will do whatever it takes to support businesses and keep people in jobs during the pandemic and that is exactly what we are doing. The current restrictions are in place to protect people and keep the community safe, unfortunately businesses continue to incur costs such as rent, power and lost produce, and this will go some way to lessening that financial pain,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Three different grant amounts will be available for small businesses depending on the decline in turnover experienced during the restrictions - $10,000 for a 70 per cent decline, $7,000 for a 50 per cent decline and $5,000 for a 30 per cent decline.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said, “This latest outbreak has coincided with school holidays when a lot of regional areas were counting on more visitors to help boost local economies. These grants will help many get through the winter, and just like after the bushfires, the floods and the first wave of COVID-19, the regions will lead NSW out the other side.”
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet explained the small business grants would be available for sole traders and non-for-profit organisations, with expanded criteria to assist most hospitality and tourism operators hit hard by the restrictions during school holidays. “The NSW economy rebounded strongly from the NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet explained the small business grants would be available for sole traders and non-for-profit organisations, with expanded criteria to assist most hospitality and tourism operators hit hard by the restrictions during school holidays. “The NSW economy rebounded strongly from the challenges of 2020 and we’re taking action to ensure we keep that going. We are deploying our fiscal firepower when it matters, by helping small businesses stay in business and keep people in jobs,” Mr Perrottet said.
Businesses will be able to apply for the grants through Service NSW from later in July and will need to show a decline in turnover across a minimum two-week period after the commencement of major restrictions on June 26.
More information on the small business support grants and changes to the Dine & Discover program will be available shortly on the Service NSW website: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
