The package includes a targeted $251 million Licenced Venue Fund to help bolster the hospitality industry.
Premier Dan Andrews has announced a $3 billion support package to help businesses survive the ongoing shutdowns and keep Victorians employed.
The Business Survival and Adaptation Package will deliver over $1.1 billion in cash grants to support small and medium-sized businesses most affected by Victoria’s COVID-19 restrictions.
To support the local hospitality industry, the state government will also establish a $251 million dedicated Licenced Venue Fund, with grants ranging between $10,000 and $30,000 for pubs, bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels and reception centres of all sizes. The government will also waive liquor license fees for 2021 to help venues get back on their feet as restrictions ease.
The Victorian government will also help businesses adapt and prepare to reopen under COVID normal settings by providing a $20 million voucher program to assist sole traders and small businesses in building their digital capacity through access to digital programs, training and workshops.
As part of the package, $15.7 million will be allocated to helping Victorian exporters establish new trade channels and get their products to market while a further $8.5 million will be poured into the governments ‘Click for Vic campaign’ which encourages support for local businesses.
Other targeted packages will provide specialised aid for alpine businesses as well as business chambers and trader groups.
“For our state to recover, we need our businesses to recover too. As we take our first safe and steady steps towards COVID Normal, this support will help make sure we get through this together,” said the Premier.
“We’ll continue meeting with and listening to businesses, so we can do everything we can to support them and their workers,” he added.
For our state to recover, we need our businesses to recover too. As we take our first safe and steady steps towards COVID Normal, this support will help make sure we get through this together #springst https://t.co/fRYRQiFaER
— Tim Pallas (@timpallas) September 13, 2020
For more information, visit the Business Victoria website.
This article originally appeared on Beat.
