2021 TA SA COVID-19 stimulus and relief package Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Australian Government has implemented a range of stimulus payments for residents and businesses. In response to the July 2021 South Australian lockdown: • businesses with a reduction in turnover are eligible for emergency cash grants of up to $3,000 • further grants of up to $6,000 for businesses who had a delayed reduction in turnover from the lockdown • specific business support grants of up to $3,000 available for businesses in eligible industries, with continuing top-ups paid automatically • eligible events suffering significant losses from being cancelled or postponed can access funding of up to $100,000, and • individuals outside the federal government’s declared hotspot areas who lose work hours will be
Announced: 26-Mar-2020 Updated: 27-Sep-2021
entitled to the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. In addition to these grant payments to affected businesses, in the past relief from payroll tax and land tax has been available. In particular, smaller employing businesses have been given a waiver of payroll tax from March 2020 to May 2021. Land tax deferrals were available to landlords during the 2020 land tax year. Also, landlords who provided rent relief, or commercial property owner-occupiers who were eligible for JobKeeper, were eligible for reduction in land tax liabilities up to 30 April 2021.
Queensland COVID-19 business grants and assistance In its response to the current COVID-19 lockdowns across August 2021, the Queensland Government has implemented support grants for businesses across the state. The support package is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments. The grants have recently been extended to include businesses on the border to NSW who have struggled due to the border closure. Assistance is available from 14 August 2021. Grants of up to $15,000 will be available to eligible small and medium businesses across all industries. Support payments of up to $30,000 will also be provided to eligible impacted large hospitality and tourism businesses. Applications for grants opened on 16 August 2021. Non-employing sole traders may
Announced: 8-Apr-2020 Updated: 29-Sep-202
also be eligible for a one-off $1,000 grant, with more information to be released soon. A COVID-19 cleaning rebate of up to $10,000 has also been introduced for eligible small and medium businesses and not for profit organisations. Tourism and hospitality businesses have also been given the option to defer payment of their July or August 2021 monthly payroll tax liability for 6 months.
COVID-19 Disaster Payment to be phased out The COVID-19 Disaster Payment provides a federally funded assistance payment for people who have lost work in 2021 as a result of state-based lockdowns. Originating in June 2021, it has been recently announced that this tax-free payment will be phased out once a state reaches COVID-19 vaccination targets for eligible populations. Depending on when the payment is received, a recipient would receive between $320 and $750 per week. Those in receipt of other Government support would be entitled to either $100 or $200 per
Announced: 3-Jun-2021 Updated: 1-Oct-2021
week. The payment may also be available to individuals who have lost working hours and live outside a Commonwealth declared hotspot provided they meet other criteria. The accessibility of these payments is at the discretion of state-based policy. Like other support payments, it will be available through Services Australia. Further details on the payment and key eligibility dates can be accessed on the Services Australia website.
Victoria COVID-19 business grants and assistance The Victorian Government has recently announced that critical assistance and hardship programs for businesses will begin being phased out in October 2021. It is expected that most ongoing business support programs will cease once the state reaches a COVID-19 vaccination target of 80% of people aged 16 years and older. These support grants commenced in July 2021 for certain businesses impacted by the lockdown and was extended in September. Many of these payments are made automatically to businesses and sole traders that received grants under established COVID-19 support programs. The Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme has been reintroduced to provide support for eligible tenants and landlords. Other industryspecific support packages were also rolled out across 2020-21. Eligible businesses include those expected to be highly impacted by drops in turnover from extended COVID-19 restrictions, such as the alpine regions, Melbourne CBD or the City of Ballarat. Most of the grants assisted with unavoidable business expenses that are not support by other government funding.
Announced: 9-Apr-2020 Updated: 6-Oct-2021
