Circuit Breaker Action Business Support Package Explained

Updated 23 February 2021

The Victorian Government has announced a business support package to assist Victorian businesses who were impacted by the circuit breaker action implemented in February to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The package includes four initiatives available for eligible businesses. If you would like any assistance applying for any of the initiatives or have any questions about your business’ eligibility, please contact our team. Call 03 5443 0344 or email afs@afsbendigo.com.au

Business Costs Assistance Program

The Business Costs Assistance Program assists businesses in eligible sectors that have incurred direct costs as a result of the circuit breaker action.

For example, businesses may have incurred costs through a loss of perishable food or produce and cancelled bookings.

Eligible businesses with an annual payroll of up to $3 million can receive a one-off grant of $2,000, whether they have employees or not.

HOW:

To be eligible, you must:

• be located within Victoria
• be registered as operating in an eligible industry sector identified in the list of Eligible ANZSIC classes (as defined by the industry classification linked to the business’ ABN)
• have incurred costs (as outlined in Section 5 of the guidelines) as a direct result of the circuit breaker action announced on 12 February 2021
• have an annual Victorian payroll of up to $3 million in 2019-20 on an ungrouped basis
• be registered for goods and services tax (GST) on 12 February 2021
• hold an Australian business number (ABN) and have held that ABN at 12 February 2021.

Note on evidence of eligibility:

• If you are an employing business, you will need to provide the WorkCover Employer Number (WEN) or WorkSafe Application Reference Number (WRN) linked to the business
• Non-employing businesses (such as sole traders) need to provide an eligible proof of identity document.

For full eligibility criteria and to apply, click HERE.

Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund

Eligible businesses who received a grant through the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund will be eligible to receive a further one-off payment of $3,000.

If you receive this payment you will not be eligible to receive a grant from the ‘Business Costs Assistance Program’.

HOW:

You do not need to apply for this payment. Eligible businesses will be contacted directly by Business Victoria.

Victorian Accommodation Support Program

The new Victorian Accommodation Support Program is an expansion of the Regional Tourism Accommodation Support Program and includes tourist accommodation premises in Greater Melbourne. This program will support accommodation providers who experienced cancelled bookings due to the circuit breaker.

The program provides eligible business with a grant in one of two tiers, based on the number of bookings cancelled between Friday 12 February and Wednesday 17 February 2021.

• Tier 1: Funding of $2,250 (ex GST) per Accommodation Premises experience 10 or fewer cancelled nights
• Tier 2: Funding of $4,500 (ex GST) per Accommodation Premise with 11 or more cancelled nights.

HOW:

The program is open for applications until 11:59pm on 16 March 2021.

To apply, click HERE.

Travel Voucher Schemes

The Victorian Government is offering two travel voucher schemes to encourage Victorians to travel across the state as the tourism industry attempts to recover from the impacts of both COVID-19 and the bushfires in 2020.

The schemes include:

• a new Melbourne Travel Voucher Scheme with 40,000 vouchers to support travel in Greater Melbourne which will launch soon
• an expanded Regional Travel Voucher Scheme with an additional 10,000 vouchers to support travel in regional Victoria.

HOW:

Further information, including eligibility criteria and program guidelines, are still to come. We will update this as soon as we receive this information.

For more information on any of these Government initiatives click the button below:

If you have any questions regarding any of the Government support initiatives, please get in touch. We are here to help. Call 03 5443 0344 or email afs@afsbendigo.com.au