The COSBOA team are horrified and deeply saddened by the current bushfire crisis and its impact, direct and indirect, on small businesses and their communities. Recovery will be long and no doubt there will be some businesses in fire-affected areas that won't be able to re-open. It is truly a disaster and our hearts go out to those of you who have suffered loss due to the fires.
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Government grants and loans, financial support hotline
Update 29/1/2020:
Business.gov.au now has a page with relevant information for businesses from all states. It includes links for where to apply for grants and loans. Access it here: https://www.business.gov.au/news/bushfire-support
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It is worth noting that the grants and loans for small businesses will be managed by state governments. Online application portals are not yet available for all states and we will be posting links to them on our social media as they become available. Further below are links to relevant state agencies that will provide more information.
The provisions mean that businesses directly affected by the fires are eligible for grants of up to $50,000. Businesses that have suffered a significant asset loss or a significant loss of revenue due to the fires are eligible for concessional loans of up to $500,000.
New South Wales
Apply for grants HERE.
Apply for loans HERE.
Visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/ for more information.
Apply for grants HERE.
Visit https://www.vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria for more information.
South Australia
Apply for grants HERE.
Sign up for information about loans HERE.
Visit https://dhs.sa.gov.au/services/disaster-recovery for more information.
Queensland
Visit http://www.qrida.qld.gov.au/ for more information.
The Government has also announced that they will establish a Small Business Bushfire Financial Support Line and fund 10 additional financial counselors with the ability to provide advice to around 100 small businesses a day. Again, these services are not yet available but we will be posting information on our social media channels when they do become available.
It should also be noted that sole traders and small business operators can apply for a disaster recovery allowance from Centrelink.
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More support for fire-affected small businesses
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The office of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman has compiled a straightforward and manageable list of resources for businesses dealing with the bush fire crisis. We recommend sharing this page with small businesses in your network.
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More information on COSBOA's role in the response effort can be found in our January 2020 newsletter. See here.