“CityNews” managing director JAMES ANDERSON says, for small businesses a week is a long time in lockdown.
AS a publisher through this lockdown there is enormous responsibility to keep producing local news, but also as a small business, a great challenge to simply keep the lights on.
I am not the only one. As a business-to-business operation, we know who is hurting and I can tell you, it is much worse than last year.
During last year’s softer version of lockdown, business gratefully got significant government assistance in the form of:
- Jobkeeper, which maintained the connection between business and employees.
- Cash flow boost, relief on BAS and PAYG expense (massive outflows when no cash is coming in).
- Rent relief, codified and negotiable between parties
- Banking support, adjusted lending and overdraft criteria underwritten by the federal government.
- Utilities support, relief or support on major local government outgoings.
These policies helped keep us and many of our friends’ businesses afloat. However, this time – in a far worse version of lockdown – we only have the mildest elements of this support.
My question is when things are worse than they were last year, why is the business support at a totally different level?
By all means change the rules and parameters for access now that we know more about executing this policy, but don’t act as though we are in a better position than last year when Sydney is looking like it will be in lockdown until Christmas.
I applaud Chief Minister Andrew Barr on his handling of this crisis so far, he has communicated clearly every day on what the public needs to do to stay safe.
He has also reached out to the federal government for business support quickly, and stuck his hand into territory coffers to do this.
But the issue he urgently needs to take to national cabinet is that more needs to be done. For small business, every week is a long time in lockdown.
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Thank you,
Ian Meikle, editor
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