Victorian government announces $250m COVID-19 assistance for businesses, take aim at federal government over lack of support

The Victorian government has announced a $250 million support package for 90,000 businesses affected by the seven-day COVID-19 lockdown — the first since JobKeeper was wound back.

There are currently 49 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria and the state has been in lockdown since Friday.

Yesterday, five new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Victoria, including a worker at the Arcare Maidstone aged care facility in Melbourne’s west.

This morning, Acting Premier James Merlino announced a Victorian government support package for small to medium-sized businesses and sole traders.

Under the scheme, grants of $2,500 will be available for eligible businesses, including restaurants and cafes, event suppliers, accommodation venues and non-essential retailers.

Hospitality venues with a liquor licence and food certificate will be eligible for a $3,500 grant per premises.

Mr Merlino also flagged $20 million to support operators in the event industry, saying more details would be provided on that shortly.

He said the support package would help businesses “pay the bills and maintain their workforce as best they can”.

“This supports businesses who have been hardest hit by the circuit-breaker lockdown,” Mr Merlino said.

“This is a bigger and broader package than the one that we delivered through the lockdown, the circuit-breaker lockdown, back in February.”

‘Angry and disappointed’

Mr Merlino and Treasurer Tim Pallas also used this morning’s announcement to slam the federal government over what they said was a lack of support, saying “Victorian workers deserve more”.

“We asked multiple times, we asked multiple times [for] the federal government to support workers during this period, and the unrelenting answer has been no,” Mr Merlino said.

“Victorian workers deserve more from the federal government, and I am beyond disappointed that the answer from the Prime Minister and from the Treasurer has been not to talk in further detail about the package.

“For the Prime Minister and the federal Treasurer to say ‘no’ is a disgrace and it should make every Victorian angry.”

Treasurer Tim Pallas went further, saying he would “not be as reserved in his language” as the Premier.

“What we needed was the Commonwealth to make at least a comparable offer of support to working people,” he said.

“Empathy means nothing unless your words are matched by tangibles.

“I am angry, and I’m disappointed — disappointed because the language talks about a partnership, but delivers nothing in real terms for the people who need it most.”

Mr Pallas said the Commonwealth had agreed not to tax the payments the Victorian government would be offering to businesses.

First lockdown since JobKeeper wound back

Victoria’s seven-day lockdown is the first since the federal government’s JobKeeper support subsidy was wound back.

Appearing on Insiders on Sunday, federal Liberal MP Dan Tehan advice to Victorian workers who had lost their income during the lockdown to “go to Centrelink”.

But Mr Pallas urged Victorians not to listen to the federal Trade Minister, saying they would likely not be eligible for the wage support measures he referenced.

Earlier today, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) slammed the federal government for winding back JobKeeper supports “too soon”.

The ACTU estimated more than 500,000 casual workers in Victoria would be facing uncertainty during this week’s lockdown.

“The Morrison government bears direct responsibility for the failures in quarantine and vaccine rollout which led to this lockdown,” ACTU president Michele O’Neil said.

“They have made a bad situation worse by withdrawing JobKeeper too soon, and refusing to now put in place JobKeeper 2 targeted at the workers and businesses who desperately need it.”

More to come.

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