COVID-19: KEY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (STATE)

Overview of COVID-19 key assistance programs available from the State Governments.

Australian Capital Territory

$3.3m for Clubs Diversification and Sustainability Support Fund to support clubs to keep staff employed
Subsidies for apprenticeships and traineeships
Rideshare, taxi plate and food registration fee waivers for 12 months
Hospitality six month waiver of payroll tax (PTX) from April to September 2020
Rebate on the fixed charge for FY20 on commercial rates for properties with AUV <$2m
$750 rebate for SMEs to help with power bills
Interest free deferrals of PTX for FY21 for businesses up to a payroll threshold of $10m
Business support webinars offered to discuss economic support
Fund to be established to provide secure work opportunities to continue employing people for cleaning, repairs and maintenance and projects
Rent and tenancy assistance for residential tenants, business tenants and owner-operated commercial properties
Eligible new homeowners will be able to apply for a stamp duty concession to live in their new property
12 month waiver from 1 April 2020 for infection control licences such as beauty therapists, nail salons, tattoo parlours and dentists
12 month waiver on certain food business registration, outdoor dining and liquor licensing fees for 2020 to 2021

Sources:

New South Wales

FY20 PTX threshold limit raised to $1m
Range of fee waivers for SMEs including bars, cafes, restaurants and trades
FY20 PTX reduced by 25% for wages up to $10m
PTX waiver for businesses with payrolls of up to $10m for the rest of FY20 and deferral for an additional 3 months
Deferral of PTX for business with payrolls over $10m for six months
Deferral of gaming tax for clubs, pubs, hotels and lotteries tax for six months
Deferral of rents for six months for commercial tenants <20 employees in all Government-owned properties
Deferral of the parking space levy for six month
Land tax concession of up to 25% available and a further land tax deferral for landlords
Up to $50m of trade and construction licensee fees waived
$10,000 grants to provide relief to SMEs
Small Business Advisory program engaging 30 advisors to support businesses
$12.6m package for taxi industry
$50m package for NSW Arts and Culture
$100b infrastructure pipeline over four years to drive employment growth and help create 88,000 direct jobs, including a $3b accelerator fund
No stamp duty on newly-built homes below $800,000 and decrease of up to $33,000 for properties up to $1m
Small business recovery grant of up to $3,000 to help industries highly impacted by COVID-19 to safely relaunch operations

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Northern Territory

Government fees and charges including electricity, water and car registration frozen (no increase due to indexation) until 1 July 2021
Electricity prices for SMEs (those paying regulated tariffs) frozen from 1 July 2020 (no increase due to indexation) until 1 July 2021
All businesses may access a $10,000 grant
Not for profit and community organisations may access grants of $100,000 (no co-contribution required) to $100,000 (co-contributions required) for permanent improvements to land/buildings
PTX abolished for six months for SMEs
PTX deferred for six months for large businesses
Power, water and sewerage bills reduced by 50% for six months for all businesses
Commercial tenants eligible to receive PTX and utilities bills relief
Grants up to $6,000 available to households and businesses for the purchase and installation of solar PV systems
Grants up to $20,000 available for business improvements
Home Improvement Scheme (HIS) funding increased from $30m to $100m
Support grant of between $1,000 and $15,000 for new activities that adapt or rebound businesses to operate effectively in the new economic environment

Sources:

Queensland

Up to $950m in PTX relief including refunds, payment holidays and deferrals for eligible businesses as well as a tax exemption for JobKeeper payments
Two month refund of payroll tax and a three-month payroll tax holiday for SMEs
Equipment purchase grants of up to $7,500 up to a max cost of $10,000
Projects grants of up to $50,000
Relief for businesses renting government premises
$500 rebate on electricity bills for SMEs consuming <100,000 kilowatt hours
$27.25m support recovery package for SME, industry and student support and counselling
Irrigation prices frozen for 2020/21 and dam safety costs absorbed by Government to support farmers
Package that supports the survival and revival of Queensland’s explorers to maintain pipeline of resources projects and jobs
Additional $500m made available for 12 month interest free loans for COVID-19 affected businesses
$200 rebate for all 2.1m Queensland homes to offset the cost of water and electricity
$400m in support for retail and commercial tenants, delivered as land tax relief and payment referrals
$15m airline route support to support and encourage domestic tourism spend across Queensland
$8.93m national parks works and jobs boost to provide visitor infrastructure upgrades and enhancements to reenergise nature-based tourism

Sources:

South Australia

$100m committed to the Economic and Business Growth Fund
Two new funds established with $550m to support business, jobs and communities
PTX waiver for businesses with payrolls of up to $4m for six months
PTX deferral for businesses, impacted by COVID-19, with payrolls >$4m for six months
Land tax deferral of remaining FY20 for six months
Relaxation of the existing Job Accelerator Grant criteria
Businesses whose employees qualify for JobKeeper payments will be exempt from paying any payroll tax on the wage subsidy
Rent relief for tourism / hospitality sites on Crown Land
$10,000 emergency cash grants for SMEs and NFP impacted by COVID-19
Grants from $50,000 to $2m for projects that generate new economic activity in regional areas
Residential and SME commercial tenants may access a 25% reduction on land tax liability
$5m co-investment fund to fast track recovery of nature-based tourism
$500,000 support to SA exporters in transitioning to online operations
Businesses with a turnover <$500m will be able to deduct 50% of the cost of an eligible asset on installation, with existing depreciation rules applying to the balance of the asset’s cost
SME Guarantee Scheme to provide eligible lenders with funding to help businesses access working capital

Source:

Tasmania

Interest free SME business loans
PTX waived for hospitality, tourism and seafood industries to end of FY20
Payment terms by Government agencies will be reduced from 30 days to 14 days
Lease, license and parks’ fee waivers for tourism operators
SMEs can apply for a waiver of PTX
Grants immediately available for seafood, tourism, retail, hospitality, arts, entertainments, and fitness
Businesses with <$10m turnover may access loans from $20,000 to $250,000
One-off grant of up to $2,500 to support business continuity
Registration freeze for up to 12 months for light and heavy vehicles
Registration waived for heavy vehicles >4.5 tonnes for up to 12 months
Freeze on rent increases for residential tenants
Financial support for transitioning to online business
$150m government loan scheme for infrastructure projects
Technology grants for mental health, drug and alcohol service providers
Mental health hotline introduced to support Tasmanians
Additional support to taxi services such as waived registration fees
PTX waivers on JobKeeper payments
$10,000 grants for RSL sub-branches and ex-serving organisations
$25,000 grants to help RSLs and other organisations provide a new service or program to meet needs due to COVID-19 restrictions
$100,000 support package for regional chambers of commerce
Introduction of Building and Construction reform amendments to ensure a more timely regulatory approval process
Two year blitz to generate $3.1b in construction value and around 15,000 jobs
Explorer Support Package will help boost the mining and mineral processing sector by suspending payments on licences and waiving application fees
Grants of $5,000 available to assist small businesses in hard-hit sectors
$1.5m funding and introduction of new operational measures of >$2m to support the individuals and organisations leading Tasmania’s cultural sectors
$20m will be established for initial emergency grant payments of $2,500 to business in a variety of industries including those in the arts sector

Sources:

Victoria

Up to $1m for training and support and up to $0.5m in business grants to develop e-commerce and online services
Businesses can apply for direct grants
Fee waiver for street trading and outdoor dining areas, and other permits
Full PTX refunds for FY20 for SMEs with payroll <$3m
PTX deferred for the first three months of the FY21 until 1 January 2021 for SMEs with payroll <$3m
Commercial tenants in government buildings can apply for rent relief
Land tax payments for 2020 will be deferred for eligible small businesses
Government will fast track payment of supplier invoices
$14m support package for Victoria’s wildlife attractions to ensure continued operations and job preservation
Rent relief to liquor licenced venues with annual turnover <$50m that are not covered by the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme
$16.8m package provided immediately to support to Victorian creative organisations and individuals to sustain employment, develop new works and provide opportunities for creative community participation.
Dedicated taskforce to help keep the state’s building and development industry running
$491m tax relief provided for businesses participating in the JobKeeper scheme, with new exemptions for payroll tax and WorkCover premiums
$17m in funding provided for disability support
$150m support package for sport, tourism and creative industries
Universities to be supported through $350m fund and $110m in payroll tax deferrals
Deferred collection of rent and annual fees to support mines, quarries and exploration companies
10,000 more Free TAFE places, and expand Free TAFE to include new full qualifications linked to jobs and government priorities
Stamp duty discounts on first homes under $750,000 and stamp duty waived completely on homes under $600,000
Regional Victoria business forced to close as part of stage three restrictions will be eligible for a $5,000 grant
Metropolitan businesses forced to close as part of stage four restrictions are eligible for a $10,000 grant
Businesses affected by stage four lockdown can now access JobKeeper based on prospective financial impacts (previously based on historical performance)
Employees that do not have access to sick leave, will be eligible for a $1,500 payment

Sources:

Western Australia

Businesses that pay PTX will receive a one-off grant of $17,500
$1m PTX threshold brought forward by six months to 1 July 2020
Impacted businesses can defer PTX until 31 July 2020
$114m in measures to support Western Australian small and medium businesses
Taxi assistance payments and waived renewal fees for next 12 months
Private sector employees, including casual staff, can be granted up to two weeks’ unpaid pandemic leave to cover periods they are required to self-isolate by government or medical authorities
Reduced electricity bills and license fees waived for SMEs
$500m for health and other frontline service delivery towards increasing PPE supply and medical equipment
Monthly payments to employers of apprentices and trainees in the construction workforce
$154.5m rent relief package to support tenants and landlords
Rent waived for tenants of buildings owned by government agencies
6 month moratorium on evictions for businesses
Freeze on rent increases
Grants available for crisis relief organisations, community groups and NFP
Government will fast track payment of supplier invoices
Major projects fast-tracked to support jobs
$235,000 allocated to support regional chambers of commerce
$100m lending facility created to support local governments and universities
Tourism industry and jobs to be supported through $14.4m funding package
Grants for impacted not-for-profit and community groups across the Kimberley
Resources export hubs established to assist SME recovery from COVID-19
Access to free training for apprentices and trainees
$444m housing stimulus package
Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive providing employers with a one-off payment of $6,000 for hiring an apprentice and $3,000 for hiring a trainee
$125m Building Bonus package to increase activity in the residential building sector
$116m Regional Land Booster package to create regional jobs and assist regional businesses to recover from COVID-19
$57m package for the training sector that will deliver 15 free short courses and decrease TAFE fees