A financial support package from the state government aimed at helping businesses through the COVID lockdown will be well received, according to Business NSW's regional manager - Western NSW, Vicki Seccombe.
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"The package is particularly well targeted and will start to hit the accounts of business owners from next month," Ms Seccombe said.
"Whilst the Western NSW community is not in lockdown, the flow on affect to our businesses has been felt strongly and rapidly with cancellations, reduced capacities, income loss and a drop in business confidence.
"Business NSW has been working with the government on this initiative since the lockdown was confirmed on Saturday, and by using the real experiences of our members, we were able to demonstrate the widespread need for a quick turn-around for this package."
Whilst the Western NSW community is not in lockdown, the flow on affect to our businesses has been felt strongly and rapidly
- Vicki Seccombe.
According to Ms Seccombe it's often easy to sit back and criticise the government but when they act quickly for the benefit of business owners they rightly deserve credit.
"This will be one of the fastest and largest business support packages from any state in Australia in response to the pandemic," Ms Seccombe said.
"For small businesses of 20 or fewer employees including sole traders, they'll be eligible for grants of either $5000, $7000 or $10,000, depending on the nature of the loss in turnover they can demonstrate. A tourism or hospitality related business can claim the grants if its turnover is less than $10 million each year.
"In simple terms, non-Payroll Tax paying businesses who have suffered as a result of the lockdown can access a grant and have that in their account by mid to late July."
Ms Seccombe said the business owners can take some comfort in knowing that some bills will be able to be paid by accessing these grants as soon as they become available.
"Larger businesses haven't been ignored either, with a number of state government taxes and charges deferred, with payments due later in the year," Ms Seccombe said.
Other changes include: Dine & Discover vouchers will be extended until 31 August, and be able to be used at takeaway venues, so long as that food is delivered, and not picked up.
"We all want these restrictions to be over as soon as possible, so businesses can get back to doing what they do best, employing people and supporting our local Western NSW communities," Ms Seccombe said.
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