Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan says the Federal and State governments will continue to work together to support households and businesses in NSW during the current COVID-19 lockdown.
Under a new combined support package, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be further expanded and increased.
He said the Federal and State governments will also enter into a new 50/50 cost sharing arrangement for a new business support payment to be implemented and administered by NSW.
“From week four of a lockdown because of a Federal Government-declared hotspot, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will increase to $600 if a person has lost 20 or more hours of work a week or $375 if a person has lost between 8 and less than 20 hours of work a week,” Mr Conaghan said.
“Both governments have also agreed that from July 18, 2021 the COVID-19 Commonwealth Disaster Payment will be available to those outside Commonwealth-declared hotspots in NSW that meet the criteria for the payment.
“The State Government will fund any payments outside a Commonwealth declared hotspot, with the Commonwealth continuing to fund payments to recipients in a Commonwealth declared hotspot.
“A new business support payment will also be available to entities with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million who can demonstrate a 30 per cent decline in turnover,” he said.
“To receive the payment, eligible entities will be required to maintain their full time, part time and long term casual staffing level as of July 13, 2021.”
Eligible entities, which includes not-for-profits, will receive payments of between $1,500 and $10,000 per week based on the level of their payroll
For non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, the payment will be set at $1,000 per week.
Mr Conaghan said the new small business support payment combined with the substantial income support being provided through the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will mean businesses and individuals who have been affected by this extended lockdown will get the support they need to get to the other side.
“As the outbreak has worsened well beyond what we have recently seen in other states and territories, it is in the national interest to enable increased assistance, in partnership with the NSW Government, for workers, business and households, to ensure the lockdown can be maintained to arrest the latest outbreak,” he added.
Mr Conaghan said the targeted and timely support will get to where it needs to be as quickly as possible.
“As lockdowns extend into another week in NSW, households and businesses need this assistance to get them through the lockdown to the other side, ready to reopen.”
The Federal and NSW governments will also deliver a $17.35 million mental health support package for NSW including for services through Lifeline, headspace and Kid’s Helpline.
The new small business support payment, to be funded on a 50/50 basis with the NSW Government, will support up to an estimated 500,000 entities employing more than 3 million people.
“Our increased support builds on the $52.4 billion we have already delivered to households and businesses in NSW during the pandemic.”
More information will be available on the Service NSW website later this week.
