Members Statement - Business Support Fund

BUSINESS SUPPORT FUND

Thursday, 3 September 2020

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton):

Business is crippled. Livelihoods have been destroyed and jobs permanently lost.

Whilst the Premier falsely promises that he supports small business, the State Labor Government has refused to help many businesses who have applied to the Business Support Fund.

Business owners who question the policy, including sole traders, are not even sent an acknowledgement of their correspondence.

Businesses without employees cannot access the fund, putting thousands of sole traders at risk. Many of those businesses are run by women, who are being disproportionately hurt by the Premier’s eligibility rules.

What is happening to sole traders is wrong and it is unjust. The survival of sole traders is at risk.