News

COVID-19 Grants January 2022

Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, the Federal and State Governments have recently announced additional support packages for affected businesses. We have summarised them below for your perusal.

Please be mindful of the closing dates for each grant application.

Should you have any questions or wish to discuss any of the below in further detail, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

South Australia COVID-19 Government Support

Tourism, Hospitality and Gym Grant – Automatic Payment – December 2021

Funding
  • $3,000 for employing businesses
  • $1,000 for non-employing businesses
  • Additional $1,000 for businesses operating in Adelaide CBD
  • Additional $7,000 for tourism and hospitality businesses with turnover above $2 million
Eligibility
  • Available only to businesses that received previous COVID-19 Tourism and Hospitality Support Grant and Gym operators that received Additional COVID-19 Business Support Grant
  • Note that a non-employing business will need to meet all the above criteria except for the requirement to employ.

This payment is automatically processed – no application is necessary.

Closing Date: N/A

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Tourism, Hospitality and Gym Grant – Turnover Based Payment – December 2021

Funding
  • $3,000 for employing businesses
  • $1,000 for non-employing businesses
  • Additional $1,000 for businesses operating in Adelaide CBD
  • Additional $7,000 for tourism and hospitality businesses with turnover above $2 million
  • Additional top up equivalent to automatic payment for businesses that did not receive the automatic payment
Eligibility
  • Businesses that fall within the eligible ANZSIC classification codes* and are required to operate under the 1 person per 7 square metre density restrictions
  • Have a valid and active ABN and were carrying on the operation of a business in South Australia
  • Be registered for GST
  • If an employing business, employ people in South Australia
  • If an employing business, have an Australia-wide grouped payroll of less than $10 million in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 financial year
  • Experienced at least a 30% reduction in turnover due to the restricted trading conditions over the two weeks from 27 December 2021 to 9 January 2022 (inclusive) compared with:
    • the two weeks from 27 December 2019 to 9 January 2020 for businesses actively trading in 2019-20, or
    • the two weeks from 27 December 2020 to 9 January 2021 for businesses not actively trading in 2019-20

* List of ANZSIC classification codes

Note that a non-employing business will need to meet all the above criteria except for the requirement to employ.

A business does not need to have received the Tourism, hospitality, and gym grant automatic payment to be eligible for this grant.

Closing Date: 31 March 2022

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Business Hardship Grant – December 2021

Funding
  • $6,000 for employing businesses
  • $2,000 for non-employing businesses
  • Additional $2,000 for businesses operating in Adelaide CBD
Eligibility
  • Have a valid and active ABN and were carrying on the operation of a business in South Australia
  • Be registered for GST
  • If an employing business, employ people in South Australia
  • If an employing business, have an Australia-wide grouped payroll of less than $10 million in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 financial year
  • Experienced at least a 50% reduction in turnover due to the restricted trading conditions over the two weeks from 27 December 2021 to 9 January 2022 (inclusive) compared with:
    • the two weeks from 27 December 2019 to 9 January 2020 for businesses actively trading in 2019-20, or
    • the two weeks from 27 December 2020 to 9 January 2021 for businesses not actively trading in 2019-20
  • Must not have received any of the following COVID support grants:
    • Tourism, hospitality, and gym grant – automatic payment
    • Tourism, hospitality, and gym grant – turnover based payment
    • Major events support grant

Closing Date: 31 March 2022

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Major Events Grant – December 2021

Funding
  • Up to $100,000 for organisers of cancelled or postponed major public events.
Eligibility
  • Have a valid and active ABN and were carrying on the operation of a business in South Australia
  • Be registered for GST
  • Employ people in South Australia
  • Have an Australia-wide grouped payroll of less than $10 million in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 financial year
  • Be the organiser/operator of an event scheduled over the period from 27 December 2021 to 27 January 2022, which was required to be cancelled or postponed as a result of the COVID-19 health and trading restrictions that came into effect from 27 December 2021
  • The event was a one-off event with an SA Health approved COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan catering for an event with a capacity of over 1,000 in one or combined across multiple locations.
    • Entities with an ongoing COVID Management or COVID-Safe Plan for regularly scheduled events (for example, regular sporting events) are not eligible
    • Where an event was scheduled to be held under an approved COVID-Safe Plan over multiple days, the applicant must provide evidence that combined attendance over the entire period was expected to exceed 1,000
    • Where an event was scheduled to be held at multiple venues, with expected combined attendance of over 1,000, the applicant must provide an approved COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan for each venue
    • Where an event is part of an ‘umbrella festival’ or similar, the individual event that sits under an ‘umbrella festival’ must have an approved COVID Management Plan or COVID-Safe Plan and provide evidence that the individual event had an expected attendance of over 1,000 to be eligible
  • Have incurred a non-recoverable financial loss as a result of the cancellation or postponement of the event
  • Trading solvently

Closing Date: 31 March 2022

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Payroll Tax Deferral

Businesses in eligible industry sectors* or businesses required to operate under the 1 person per 7 square metre density restriction may apply for a payroll tax deferral if impacted by the COVID-19 trading restrictions commencing 27 December 2021.

There is no decline in turnover or wage level criteria to be met for this relief.

The deferral is available upon application to Revenue SA as part of the monthly return lodgement.

* List of ANZSIC classification codes

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Liquor License Fees Relief

The State Government has announced additional support for liquor licensees who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Licensees eligible for the earlier 50% waiver for 2021-22 based on their eligibility for JobKeeper will now receive a fee waiver for the remainder of the financial year.

Refunds to those licensees who received the 50% waiver and have paid their fees will commence shortly and should take between 4-6 weeks to process.

This process is automatic and eligible licensees do not need to reapply.

New South Wales COVID-19 Government Support

COVID-19 Help for Individuals and Businesses

Business owners and individuals experiencing difficulties due to COVID-19 can find the benefits, rebates, and concessions available to them using the Service NSW COVID-19 Assistance Finder tool.

Assistance Finder is an easy-to-use online tool that lists the options for financial support best suited to your circumstances.

Go to Assistance Finder

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Payroll Tax Deferrals

Businesses previously had the option to defer their payment of the 2020-21 annual reconciliation, and returns, due in August through to December 2021.

Any NSW business liable for payroll tax could also defer payments until 14 January 2022. Interest free repayment plans for up to 12 months will be available.

For more information, visit the Revenue NSW website.

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Payroll Tax Reduction

Relief
  • Eligible businesses will receive a 50% reduction in their 2021-22 payroll tax liability
Eligibility
  • A decline in turnover of 30%
  • Have an Australia-wide grouped payroll of no more than $10 million

For more information, visit the Revenue NSW website.

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COVID-19 Grants and Funding Finder

Business owners can search for government initiatives, grants, or funding programs to support a business, project or community.

Go to Grants and Funding Finder

Victoria COVID-19 Government Support

COVID-19 Test Isolation Payment

Funding
  • $450
Eligibility
  • Be 17 years and over
  • Have taken a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19, or be the guardian or carer of someone who has taken a PCR test, within the last 2 weeks
  • Live in Victoria
  • Be likely to have undertaken paid work during the self-isolation period and unable to work due to:
    • A requirement to self-isolate after the test, or
    • A requirement to care for someone who must self-isolate after a test
  • Not receive any income or earnings during the self-isolation period
  • Have exhausted or not have entitlement or access to sick leave or carers leave (including any special pandemic leave) during the self-isolation period
  • Not be receiving Australian Government income support such as the JobSeeker payment, during the self-isolation period
  • Not receive another worker support payment, including the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, for the same self-isolation period

You are not eligible to claim a Test Isolation Payment for a rapid antigen test (RAT).

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Jobs Victoria Fund

Funding
  • Wage subsidies of up to $20,000
Eligibility
  • Jobs must be for at least 19 hours per week (or less if the employee has a disability or provides constant care)
  • Must employ someone from at least one of the priority groups who have been most impacted by the pandemic:
    • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
    • Jobseekers registered with a Jobs Victoria Mentor service
    • People unemployed for 6 months or more
    • Newly arrived migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds
    • Women aged 45 years and over
    • People seeking asylum/refugees
    • People with disability
    • Single parents
    • Veterans
    • Men and people who do not identify as a women aged 45 years and over
    • Young people aged under 25
    • People previously or currently employed under the Working for Victoria initiative

For more information, please refer to the Website.