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The Andrews government will automatically resume payments of the business support package it announced at the end of May in a bid to urge businesses to remain closed for the duration of its five-day snap lockdown.
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Victoria announces $200m extension of June support
19 July 2021
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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday announced a $200 million top-up extension to the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and Business Costs Assistance Program business support grants announced in June.
Automatic payments are scheduled to be made to eligible businesses and sole traders over the course of the next week to “minimise delays” and “swiftly get money into the pockets of businesses that need it most”.
Some 90,000 businesses that received payments through the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and Business Costs Assistance Program packages in early June will receive new support payments of $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.
The latest top-up is set to cost the government $201.8 million. Those eligible include restaurants, cafés, bars, event suppliers, tourism and accommodation providers, and non-essential retailers.
Mr Andrews acknowledged that nobody “wanted to be here” but that Victorians must take action to drive the state’s case numbers down.
“People start needing support from day one — hour one — of a lockdown,” Mr Andrews said. “We know this is tough on Victorian businesses and we’re standing with them, just as we’ve done from the very start of the pandemic.”
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Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula said the support was critical to whether the state’s businesses could survive another lockdown.
“Local businesses across Victoria are the backbone of our economy,” Mr Pakula said. “This critical support will make sure business owners can weather this new challenge and recover strongly.”
Victoria to receive Commonwealth-partnered support
The $200 million state package is set to be accompanied by income support payments for Victorians across the state, after the Andrews government announced that it had reached an agreement with the Commonwealth to offer support from day one of lockdown.
Workers affected by the state’s public health order are eligible for the same payments offered to those in New South Wales. Those who have lost 20 hours of work a week, or more, will be eligible for payments of $600, while those who have lost between eight and 20 hours of work will receive $375.
In a press conference on Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians to remain hopeful, both in their livelihoods and his approach to curbing the pandemic, which he reminded viewers has so far saved 30,000 lives.
“A million people are back at work as a result of these sacrifices and the efforts of so many Australians,” Mr Morrison said. “We are a tough generation of Australians, just like the generations before us, and we will deal with these troubles and these challenges.
“We will get through, and on the other side Australia will be even stronger.”
Mr Morrison urged eligible businesses and individuals who have lost hours at work to apply for support via the government’s myGov portal once the first week of lockdown draws to a close.
“That is the fastest and most helpful way to do it ... it reduces the amount of processing time and makes sure we can get more people more quickly,” Mr Morrison said. “I welcome the announcement today by the Premier of Victoria, which is seeing them invest some $1 million in their five-day lockdown. We hope that is all that is.”
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