Extra financial support announced for workers and businesses hit by COVID-19 lockdowns
Workers and businesses impacted by the extended lockdown in NSW are set to receive extra financial support from next week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.
Mr Morrison has announced an increase in the COVID-19 Disaster Payment if a lockdown goes into a fourth week and a new business support package.
Currently, the disaster payment rates are $325 if you have lost less than 20 hours of work a week, and $500 if you have lost more than 20 hours a week.
Under the changes, if a lockdown enters a fourth week, the payments will increase to $375 if a person has lost between eight and 20 hours of work a week, and $600 if a person has lost 20 hours or more a week.
The payment will also be available outside of Commonwealth-declared hotspot areas.
The NSW Government will fund any payments outside a Commonwealth-declared hotspot, with the Federal Government continuing to fund payments to recipients in a hotspot.
The PM said it’s in the “national interest” to have a coordinated monetary response to COVID lockdowns.
“The NSW outbreak has proved to be more severe, more dangerous, and it’s in the national interest that we now put in place an upgraded set of arrangements for cooperation with the states and territories,” Mr Morrison said.
“It needs to be targeted. It needs to be timely. It needs to be proportionate, scalable, and the administration of those supports need to be done in a way so it can get to people as simply and as quickly as is possible.”
Mr Morrison said the support will be offered to any other state or territory that experiences an extended lockdown.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the support package has been designed to help ease stress on families who are currently under stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“No matter where you live, if you are suffering at home because of the stay-at-home provisions you are able to make sure that you and your loved ones don’t go through that stress no matter how long the lockdown lasts,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Although no official announcement has been made, the NSW lockdown is likely to be extended for a fourth week after the state recorded 89 cases today.
“I’ve already made clear the unlikelihood of the lockdown finishing on Friday and the numbers speak for themselves, and we’ll have more to say about that tomorrow,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I wouldn’t read too much into the length of the lockdown because none of us know that.
“What we do know is that we have the financial support there so that individuals and families and businesses don’t have to stress and they know that for the duration of the lockdown, the support will be there.”
Extra support for businesses
The Commonwealth will fund 50 per cent of the cost of a new small and medium business support payment to be implemented and administered by Service NSW.
Eligible entities will receive 40 per cent of their NSW payroll payments, at a minimum of $1500 and a maximum of $10,000 per week.
Entities will be eligible if their turnover is 30 per cent lower than an equivalent two-week period in 2019.
The new small to medium business support payment will be available to non-employing and employing entities in NSW, including not for profits, with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million.
Crucially, to receive the payment, businesses will be required to maintain their full-time, part-time and long-term casual staffing level as of July 13.
Mr Morrison has said a program with the size and scale of JobKeeper is “not necessary” for the current lockdown occurring within NSW.
“You can keep working in that business under those arrangements and you can pick up the $600 payment from the Commonwealth,” Mr Morrison said.
“That will help you to continue to go through what is a difficult time.”
Help for tenants
Nobody in NSW who is a rental tenant can be evicted for the next 60 days because of the COVID-19 lockdown.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said all residential tenants who have had a reduction in income cannot be evicted from a rental property.
There are also land tax rebates on offer for landlords who provide rent relief to struggling tenants.
Support for mental health services announced
The Federal Government is committing $12.25 million to help boost mental health services for residents currently enduring extended lockdowns.
Mr Morrison said money will be flowing to services such as Lifeline, Kids Helpline, Head Space, Beyond Blue and the Butterfly Foundation.
“I particularly want to send a message to the students doing their HSC which I’m sure the treasurer and premier will join me in sending, we know this is a tough time for you,” Mr Morrison said.
“HSC students in 2020 were going through a very process, particularly down there in Victoria. And you will get through this.”
