Victorian businesses will have access to a $3 billion program of support including cash grants and tax relief as the state government seeks to boost the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic
"[This] is without any shadow of a doubt, the biggest package of business support in the history of this state, and it needs to be unprecedented in nature," he said.The package will include:
The government said the payroll tax deferral would provide a $1.7 billion "cashflow boost" to businesses.The move comes as the government has faced a push from some parts of the business community to alter its road map for removing coronavirus restrictions to allow for more economic activity. "I understand that businesses are desperate, not just for profits, but for their people. They are desperate to open up," he said.Mr Andrews said he would speak to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the details of the business support later today.Industry Support & Recovery Minister Martin Pakula said the new financial support would particularly help businesses who had been closed as a result of the lockdowns.
"That crucial cash flow will be primarily targeted at those businesses which continue in the next stage to still be closed heave - heavily restricted or restricted," he said.
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