Support for licensed bars, cafes, hotels and clubs across regional Victoria will continue through September, and other businesses in regional areas will also be supported where ongoing restrictions severely affect operations.
With the City of Ballarat entering a seven-day lockdown, all eligible businesses in that local government area will receive Business Costs Assistance Program and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund payments for the last two weeks of September – along with more than 100,000 metropolitan businesses.
Payments to businesses will range from $5,600 to $40,000 for the fortnight to help pay wages, rent, utilities and other ongoing expenses.
In recognition of ongoing patron and density limits, Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund payments will be made across the state for the period 17-30 September, regardless of location.
Some 2,300 eligible cafes, restaurants, hotels and bars in regional areas and more than 7,000 in metropolitan Melbourne will receive automatic payments. Venues with a capacity of under 100 people will receive $10,000 for the fortnight, those with a capacity of 100-499 will receive $20,000 while the largest venues will receive $40,000.
In addition to automatic Business Costs Assistance Program payments in Melbourne and the City of Ballarat, the Victorian Government has confirmed that payments under this program will be made for the next two weeks to eligible businesses outside these areas.
Eligible businesses include hospitality and accommodation operations, gyms, hair and nail salons, and tourism and events-related businesses. The full list of eligible ANZSIC codes for the Business Costs Assistance Program in regional Victoria outside the City of Ballarat will be available on the Business Victoria website from Friday.
Under the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Four, payments will be tiered based upon annual payroll size with eligible businesses receiving:
- $2800 per week for businesses with no payroll or an annual payroll below $650,000.
- $5600 per week for businesses with an annual payroll between $650,000 and less than $3 million.
- $8400 per week for businesses with an annual payroll between $3 and $10 million.
The Business Costs Assistance Program Round Four and payments under the Licensed Hospitality Fund since 28 July 2021 are jointly funded by the Victorian and Commonwealth governments.
For full information on available business support grants, you can visit business.vic.gov.au or call 13 22 15.
Business Victoria website