Peak retail group the National Retail Association has today welcomed the announcement by the Queensland Government that it will provide further relief to businesses crippled by COVID.
The suite of measures announced today includes initiatives such as extending the $5,000 one-off payments state-wide, deferred payroll tax payments for eligible businesses, and deferment of fees.
NRA CEO Dominique Lamb said the fortunes of the tourism and hospitality sector are closely linked with retail, with many businesses relying on the health of all three sectors to survive.
“Queensland is a tourism state, the fate of many businesses hinges on the money spent by visitors to the Sunshine State each year. A drop in holidaymakers to places like Cairns or the Gold Coast will affect retail shops in the area as much as it does tourist operators,” Ms Lamb said.
“Many businesses across Queensland are simply in survival mode. Retailers appreciate any bit of help they receive to keep the doors open and Queenslanders in jobs.
“The delta strain has reinjected the high level of uncertainty we saw right at the start of the pandemic. Even when lockdowns aren’t in place, many businesses are looking over their shoulder worried that another snap round of restrictions will occur.”
Ms Lamb also said what everyday Queenslanders can do to get back to life as normal is to roll up their sleeves and get the vaccine.
“The fact is we’re not getting out of the woods until we hit the 70 per cent vaccination target identified by the Prime Minister and National Cabinet,” Ms Lamb said.
“Most of the Eastern seaboard being in lockdown recently has injected a sense of urgency on the need to get vaccinated. Retailers ask all Queenslanders to keep rolling up their sleeves until they’ve received both jabs so we can get back to normal.”