The Victorian government has announced a $250 million support package for 90,000 businesses affected by the seven-day COVID-19 lockdown.
There are currently 49 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria and the state has been in lockdown since Friday.
Yesterday, five new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Victoria, including a worker at the Arcare Maidstone aged care facility in Melbourne's west.
This morning, Acting Premier James Merlino announced a Victorian government support package for small to medium-sized businesses and sole traders.
Under the scheme, grants of $2,500 will be available for eligible businesses, including restaurants and cafes, event suppliers, accommodation venues and non-essential retailers.
Hospitality venues with a liquor licence and food certificate will be eligible for a $3,500 grant per premises.
Mr Merlino also flagged $20 million to support operators in the event industry, saying more details would be provided on that shortly.
"This is a bigger and broader package than the one that we delivered through the lockdown, the circuit-breaker lockdown, back in February."
'Angry and disappointed'
Mr Merlino and Treasurer Tim Pallas also used this morning's announcement to slam the federal government over what they said was a lack of support, saying "Victorian workers deserve more".
"We asked multiple times, we asked multiple times [for] the federal government to support workers during this period, and the unrelenting answer has been no," he said.
"For the Prime Minister and the federal Treasurer to say 'no' is a disgrace and it should make every Victorian angry."
Treasurer Tim Pallas went further, saying he would "not be as reserved in his language" as the Premier.
"What we needed was the Commonwealth to make at least a comparable offer of support to working people," he said.
"Empathy means nothing unless your words are matched by tangibles.
Mr Pallas said the Commonwealth had agreed not to tax the payments the Victorian government would be offering to businesses.
First lockdown since JobKeeper wound back
Victoria's seven-day lockdown is the first since the federal government's JobKeeper support subsidy was wound back.
Appearing on Insiders on Sunday, federal Liberal MP Dan Tehan advice to Victorian workers who had lost their income during the lockdown to "go to Centrelink".
Mr Tehan, the Trade Minister, was asked how the federal government planned on supporting casual workers through their fourth lockdown.
He pointed to COVID-19 crisis payments available through Centrelink.
"Well, you can go to Centrelink and if you're eligible, if you've lost a complete week's work or if you will lose two weeks' work, then you might be eligible for one of these emergency health payments," Mr Tehan said.
"So for those people who find themselves in circumstances where they've completely lost their income, then they should go to Centrelink and see whether they are eligible."
According to the Services Australia website, only people who are ordered to quarantine or self-isolate, or who are caring for someone in quarantine or self-isolation, are eligible for the support.
Mr Pallas urged Victorians not to listen to Mr Tehan, saying they would likely not be eligible for the wage support measures he referenced.
More to come.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZ2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA1LTMwL3ZpY3Rvcmlhbi1nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWNvdmlkLTE5LWJ1c2luZXNzLXN1cHBvcnQtcGFja2FnZS8xMDAxNzY4MTbSAShodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTAwMTc2ODE2?oc=5
2021-05-30 02:05:28Z
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