The Victorian Government has provided further detail on the Business Support Package, including greater clarity around the eligibility requirements and the documentation required for application. Key programs as part of the package are:
- Business Costs Assistance Program (Round four)
- Business Continuity Fund
- Alpine Business Support Program
- Commonwealth Government COVID‑19 Disaster Payment
- Small Business COVID Hardship Fund, and
- Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme.
Support programs
Business Costs Assistance Program (Round Four)
The Victorian Government has provided further detail for the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Four – Construction. The program will provide one-off payments to eligible employing and non-employing businesses in the construction sector that operate in the following local government areas:
- Metropolitan Melbourne
- The City of Greater Geelong
- Mitchell Shire
- Surf Coast Shire
Eligibility:
- Businesses must have a worksite located in metropolitan Melbourne, the City of Greater Geelong, Mitchell Shire or Surf Coast Shire.
- Businesses must have incurred direct costs because of restrictions in place between 21 September – 4 October, which have not been partially or fully recovered.
- Business must not have been able to operate remotely between 21 September – 4 October.
- Businesses must not have received a Business Costs Assistance Program Round 2 or Business Costs Assistance Program Round 2 – July extension payment or Small Business COVID Hardship Fund payment
Click here to view the 26 ANZSIC classes eligible for support.
Grant amount:
One-off grants of $2,000 for eligible non-employing construction industry businesses, and one-off grants of $2,800, $5,600 or $8,400 for eligible employing construction industry businesses, based on payroll size.
How to apply for the Grant:
The program will open for applications on 5 November 2021. Please contact William Buck if you would like assistance.
Business Continuity Fund
The Business Continuity Fund provides a $5000 payment to businesses in 24 sectors that were affected by additional capacity limits when reopening in late July 2021 under COVID-19 restrictions.
This payment is in addition to the Business Costs Assistance Program July Top-Up payments announced on 16 and 21 July 2021, and the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Three payment announced on 6 August 2021.
Grant amount:
Businesses in Melbourne’s CBD that receive a Business Continuity Fund payment will receive an additional $2000 payment. Recipients will be contacted from mid-August to confirm they will receive a payment. Business Continuity Fund payments will be processed automatically.
How to apply for the Grant:
You do not need to apply. It is an automatic payment to all eligible recipients.
The payment will go to recipients of the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two July Extension who are in 24 sectors that were affected by capacity limits when reopening in late July 2021 under COVID-19 restrictions.
FAQ:
https://business.vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/circuit-breaker-business-support-package/business-continuity-fund/faqs
Alpine Business Support Program
Alpine Business Support will provide further payments of between $5000 (off-mountain) and $20,000 (employing businesses, on mountain).
Grant amount:
Stream 1: On-mountain and Dinner Plain businesses
- Up to $58,000 per premises for employing businesses (registered with WorkSafe Victoria)
- Up to $33,000 for businesses not registered with WorkSafe Victoria.
Stream 2: Off-mountain businesses
- The business Cost Assistance Program Round Three payment announced on Friday 6 August 2021
- The Business Continuity Fund (if eligible)
- The Top-Up payments for Business Cost Assistance Program Round Two and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 announced on 16, 21 and 28 July.
What you need to know before you apply:
To be eligible for support under the program’s On-mountain and Dinner Plain stream, applicants must operate a business within a Victorian alpine resort or Dinner Plain in one of the following categories:
- A food and beverage venue (restaurant, café, pub, bar or other food venue)
- A retail outlet (rental, clothing, footwear, equipment, supermarket, pharmacy, gifts)
- A business providing services directly to visitors or contributes to the visitor experience (transport, activities, entertainment, health and wellbeing), or
- An accommodation business with a public on-site food and beverage venue or retail outlet.
Eligible businesses can only receive a grant for either the On-mountain or Off-mountain stream – businesses cannot receive funding from both streams.
How to apply for the Grant:
If you are an eligible business for the Alpine Resorts Winter Support Program, you should receive a phone call from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions which will provide more  information on the Program and help you through the process.
If you haven’t received this phone call and think you could be eligible for funding, please contact alpineprograms@ecodev.vic.gov.au.
FAQ:
https://business.vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/alpine-resorts-winter-support-program
Commonwealth Government COVID‑19 Disaster Payment
Individuals may also be eligible for financial support through the Commonwealth Government’s COVID-19 Disaster Payment.
Most microbusinesses not registered for GST are eligible for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment of $600 or $375 per week.
The Victorian Government is establishing a concierge service to help these businesses access this support.
Grant amount:
Individuals qualify for $375 a week for less than 20 hours of work a week and $600 if more than 20 hours work
What you need to know before you apply:
Anyone who has lost work in a lockdown zone is eligible.
How to apply for the Grant:Â
Apply through Services Australia: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/covid-19-disaster-payment-victoria
Small Business COVID Hardship Fund
The Victorian Government’s Small Business COVID Hardship Fund will assist eligible small and medium businesses:
- whose operations have been severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place between 27 May 2021 and August 2021
- that have experienced at least a 70% reduction in turnover as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions
- that are ineligible for other key COVID-19 Victorian Government business grant programs that have been announced since 27 May 2021.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, businesses must:
- be located within Victoria
- as a direct consequence of COVID-19 restrictions since 27 May 2021 have experienced a reduction in turnover of at least 70% for a minimum consecutive two-week period comparable to a benchmark period in 2019
- have an annual Victorian payroll of up to $10 million in 2019-20 on an ungrouped basis
- have been registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on and from 28 July 2021
- hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN on and from 28 July 2021
- be registered with the responsible Federal or State regulator.
Employing businesses must also:
- be registered with WorkSafe Victoria
- attest that the business is supporting its workers to access any paid leave entitlements, or that if a person can work from home, to work from home during the COVID-19 restrictions, and supporting their casual workers, where possible.
Businesses should ensure that all relevant registrations are up to date before applying for a grant under this program.
Grant amount:
Eligible businesses will receive a grant of $10,000.
What you need to know before you apply:
Businesses that have received funding under any of the Victorian Government COVID-19 support packages launched on or after 27 May 2021 are not eligible for a grant under this program.
Businesses that have received assistance through the Business Support Fund, payroll tax rebate/waiver, or another COVID-19 program launched prior to 27 May 2021 may apply for assistance under this program.
How to apply for the Grant:
Applications are open until program funds are exhausted or 11:59 pm on Friday 10 September 2021, whichever is earlier.
Check that your details on the Australian Business Register website are correct prior to submitting an application. Incorrect information may delay the assessment of your application.
You can choose to apply for this program in one of three ways:
- A qualified agent can apply on your behalf and verify the 70% drop in business turnover as part of the application. The qualified agent needs to attest that they are authorised to apply on your behalf. Please contact our office if would like us to assist.
- You can apply directly as a business owner and have the application verified by a qualified agent. Please contact our office if you need assistance
- Business owners who do not have access to a qualified accountant, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent can register their interest for the program. Applicants may receive an Invitation to Apply email from the department. Applications received via the Invitation to Apply process may take up to 25 business days to process, due to the need for additional verification measures.
You must demonstrate a reduction in turnover of at least 70% for a minimum consecutive two-week period since 27 May 2021 as a direct consequence of COVID-19 restrictions, comparable to a benchmark period in 2019. There are options for businesses that don’t have comparable periods so please seek advice.
The Victorian Government or representatives may audit your application, so you will need to produce evidence at the request of the Victorian Government.
If any information in your application is false or misleading, you may be asked to repay the grant.
FAQ:
https://business.vic.gov.au/grants-and-programs/small-business-covid-hardship-fund/faqs
Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme
The previous scheme providing commercial tenancy relief had been reintroduced. There is separate support for landlords who provide relief to tenants.
Relief can be provided in line with a business’s reduction in turnover (fall of more than 30 per cent during the pandemic). Turnover should be compared from the final quarter in 2020-2021 to the final quarter of 2018-2019. There are special arrangements for new businesses not operating in 2019.
More information can be found here.
For more information and assistance, please contact your local William Buck advisor.
