Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria)

My constituency question is for the Treasurer, and concerns the Business Support Fund designed to assist those operations forced to close by the current COVID lockdown. My constituent in Ballarat runs a group fitness studio, and employs a number of staff who all teach only a small number of hours per week—secondary to full-time employment elsewhere.

The Business Support Fund eligibility criteria include participation in the JobKeeper scheme, for which my constituent is—quite rightly in his view and mine—not eligible. Yet this also precludes him from the Business Support Fund grant, which would defray rent, rates, utilities and other non-payroll costs which have remained constant despite the gym’s reduced cashflow.

This cliff-face approach to business support threatens viable businesses with closure, when almost identical neighbouring employers may get full grants. If the aim is to support business, Treasurer, not to create inflexible bureaucracy, is there any room—avenue—to seek discretionary review in such cases?