By Jeremy Sollars
The local Chambers of Commerce in Warwick and Stanthorpe are urging small business owners across the region to apply for any and all forms of COVID-19 government assistance for which they’re eligible.
Some local business owners are frustrated with the amount of documentation required for schemes like the JobKeeper payment, and the ‘lag-time’ expected before funding is approved and made available.
Enrolments for the JobKeeper wage subsidy initiative – which the federal government expects to assist as many as six million Australian workers – opened yesterday, Monday 20 April and close this Sunday 26 April (see links below).
Accountants and other business advisors are in many cases working with clients to prepare and submit applications for federal and state assistance, acknowledging the processes are complex.
Warwick Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Julia Keogh told the Free Times she understands applications can time-consuming.
“The COVID-19 situation is dynamic as we all know and things are changing and happening so quickly and I understand the frustration,” she said.
“But I think it’s fair to say there has been quite a rapid response from governments in terms of assistance being offered.
“As a Chamber obviously we encourage local business owners to speak with their accountant in particular who will have a wealth of knowledge and information.
“As a Chamber we’re providing assistance to our members – and now is a great time to join the Chamber if you’re not already a member.
“We’ve been passing on to members the enormous amount of helpful information coming from the CCIQ (Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland).
“What we do know is that along with the challenges and the difficulties, COVID-19 is on the other hand providing small business owners with something they’re not used to having in great amounts – and that’s time.
“Time to take stock, to review and assess business strategies, to take a step back and see what’s worked in the past and what hasn’t, to look at the longer-term.
“It’s time to sit down with team members and family members, and to talk to other businesses.
“Every sector is affected and everyone’s experience is deeply personal.
“Yes retail and hospitality are being impacted but it’s also the service sector – businesses like hairdressers and health providers and therapists.
“What we are seeing is local businesses looking at ways to adapt and respond, looking at digital marketing strategies for example.”
Graham Parker of the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce agreed, while likewise expressing frustration at the amount of documentation required when applying for assistance.
“On the Granite Belt a lot of businesses are just hunkered down right now,” he said.
“We’ve had two years of drought, we’ve had bushfires and for a lot of us it’s a case of bracing for the next hit, particularly the tourism sector which felt the (COVID-19) impact most immediately.
“But we’re also seeing businesses in Stanthorpe who are adapting quite well, food businesses for example doing takeaways, just to keep some income ticking through.
“As a Chamber we’re putting out as much information to our members as we can.
“It’s just a dynamic and fast-changing situation and it can be hard at times to keep up.”
• Business operators who have already registered interest in the JobKeeper program will still need to ‘enrol’ through the ATO business portal by this Sunday 26 April. For more information or to enrol visit –
www.ato.gov.au/general/jobkeeper-payment/employers/.
• More information about JobKeeper and other measures at: www.treasury.gov.au
• Warwick Chamber of Commerce – www.warwickchamber.com.au
• Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce – www.stanthorpecoc.com.au
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