Business Advice

Another lockdown and another Victorian State Government grant, this time we have two separate grants, the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and the Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund 2021. Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two The program offers grants to eligible small and medium businesses of up to $5,000, including employing and non-employing businesses. Yes, non-employing businesses affected by the lockdown will be eligible for this grant (HOORAY!!!). The grants will support businesses in an eligible business sector directly impacted…

Well, I don't think any of us were surprised by the announcement of a 5-day statewide lockdown, especially given how other states have reacted to, and overcome similar outbreaks. Over the weekend I have had quite a few questions about the treatment of employees who have no work for the next three days (hopefully it is only three days!). The reassuring thing is that nothing has changed on this front, the requirements about this have been in place for quite…

You may not have heard the BIG Government headlines in last year’s budget, JOBMAKER, but more specifically it is the JobMaker Hiring Credit. Jobmaker is designed to help accelerate business growth in the employment of young people during the COVID-19 recovery. The JobMaker Hiring Credit will be available to ALL employers for each new job they create over the next 12 months for which they hire an eligible young person, aged 16 to 35 years old. This all sounds amazing,…

We are now all facing further restrictions in response to the spread of COVID-19. Stage 4 restrictions are in place from 6pm on Sunday 2 August for metropolitan Melbourne. Stage 3 restrictions are in place from 11:59pm on Wednesday 5 August for Regional Victoria, including Mitchell Shire. Most workplaces in Metropolitan Melbourne will now see mandatory closure or new limitations on business, prompting the Victorian Government to announce additional financial support for employing businesses throughout Victoria. One-off grants will be…

The Australian Federal Government has initiated a $250 million package of funding to support cultural and creative projects and initiatives to support the industry through COVID-19. The arts funding is aimed at kick-starting the sector with funding preferencing commercial initiatives that generate jobs and are expected to have a positive economic impact. That is, this is an economic package as opposed to creative or cultural funding. Below is a table detailing the funding available:Outside of the funding package, SupportAct received…

Supporting Apprentices and Trainees is the new government stimulus that provides a wage subsidy to small businesses to support the retention of existing apprentices and trainees in your business. The subsidy will be available to small businesses employing fewer than 20 employees who retain an apprentice or trainee. Eligible employers MUST APPLY for the wage subsidy of 50 per cent of the apprentice’s or trainee’s wage for 9 months from 1st January 2020 to 30th September 2020. Employers will be…

There have been some recent announcements to assist some of our local clients. Mayor Sarah Carter announced yesterday planned measures to further assist small business in the Maribyrnong City Council area effected by COVID-19. The first phase of the support package will be implemented to help business cope with the financial impact of the Coronavirus. “Small business is the lifeblood of our community” Sarah Carter, Mayor of Maribyrnong City Council. Eligible commercial businesses will be able to defer the payments…