News | 09 March

Victoria’s business community has been greatly impacted by the global pandemic.

To help businesses recover, the Victorian Government has announced a $143 million package to support eligible businesses impacted by the circuit breaker action to limit the spread of COVID-19.

This is a package of cash grants and direct payments to small businesses who were most impacted by the circuit breaker action, including businesses in hospitality, tourism, events, and selected retail.

The package is expected to help more than 50,000 Victorian businesses. These businesses include restaurants, florists, accommodation providers, musicians and performers, who incurred costs, such as the loss of perishable goods, flowers, cancellation fees and charges, because of the necessary public health actions.

It includes four initiatives to support small businesses, including sole traders.

The new $92 million Business Costs Assistance Program offers grants of $2000 for eligible businesses and sole traders in the most impacted sectors of hospitality, food wholesaling, tourism, events, and selected retail. Applications are open and will close on Tuesday 16 March 2021.

A $24.9 million injection to the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund will give previous eligible recipients of this grant a $3000 one-off, per premises payment.

The $16.2 million Victorian Accommodation Support Program will assist accommodation providers that had bookings cancelled between Friday 12 February and Wednesday 17 February, due to the circuit breaker action.

The Victorian Accommodation Support Program will open soon. Registrations of interest are now open.

A further $10 million investment will expand and build on the success of the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme.  There will be a new Melbourne Travel Voucher Scheme offering 40,000 vouchers for greater Melbourne, and an additional 10,000 vouchers to support travel in regional Victoria.  This brings the total number of vouchers offered in Victoria to 200,000.

Further details on how to access the programs are available on the Business Victoria website.

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