$143 million "Circuit Breaker" Support Package

Applications now open

The Victorian Government has released details and opened applications for a number of assistance packages in response to the recent “circuit breaker” public health measures. This support package is quite narrow and we are not anticipating that many clients will be eligible. However, please read this summary and follow the links to confirm whether you might be eligible.

The main component of the package is the $93 million Business Costs Assistance Program. This program will provide for grants of $2,000 to eligible small businesses, including sole traders, regardless of whether they employ people or not. While the business can be located anywhere in Victoria, it is only open to businesses in certain industries such as hospitality, food wholesaling, tourism and events (your business will need to have an industry code that is on this list).

To be eligible the business needs to have incurred direct costs because of the circuit breaker action, such as the loss of perishable goods, booking cancellations or cancellation fees and charges. The business also needs to be registered for GST and hold an ABN as at 12 February 2021 and have a payroll of less than $3 million.

Applications are open until 16 March 2021 or until funds are exhausted. Applications can be made here.

There is a separate Circuit Breaker Action Payment that will automatically be paid to eligible businesses in the hospitality sector who received a grant through the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund. They will receive a further one-off payment of $3,000 to help with costs incurred as a result of the circuit breaker action. Businesses that receive this payment are not eligible to receive a grant from the Business Costs Assistance Program outlined above.

The other measures announced are targeted at the tourism industry specifically and include a new Victorian Accommodation Support Program to support tourist accommodation premises in Greater Melbourne, an expansion to the Regional Travel Voucher scheme and a new Melbourne Travel Voucher scheme to support the local tourism industry. More information about these programs and the Circuit Breaker Action Business Support Package generally is available here.

Please reach out to us if you need assistance with accessing any of these programs.