Queensland businesses still waiting for support commitment details
Queensland businesses forced to close in the state’s fourth lockdown this year and Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) are still waiting to hear details of a COVID-19 Hotspot Recovery Package after payments for the current lockdown were committed on Saturday.
CCIQ Policy and Advocacy General Manager Amanda Rohan said today we expected the State Government to provide details of support measures for impacted businesses - details which are yet to be revealed.
“Lockdowns have been a reality for the past 18 months and today businesses are again left waiting for certainty and commitment from the State Government,” Ms Rohan said.
“Businesses are now in their fourth lockdown this year and potentially the third without support need certainty to allow them to pay ongoing bills and overheads, maintain their commitment to staff.
“This is something we have been calling for since the March greater Brisbane lockdown. Businesses are facing very real decisions on how they can survive when we know costs to businesses can range anywhere from $15,000 to $65,000 or more for a three-day lockdown.
“We know even a three-day lockdown can significantly impact a businesses’ ability to recover, if at all.
“These businesses are financially and emotionally exhausted.
CCIQ’s Pulse Survey for the June Quarter shows business confidence declined for the first time since it reached its lowest levels in March 2020 and strongly indicates how COVID-19 outbreaks and ongoing uncertainty is hitting businesses.
Ms Rohan said the ongoing and frequent lockdowns were hitting businesses hard.
"Business and consumer confidence levels are showing we are not out of the woods yet and business viability remains in the balance,” she said.
“A support package for lockdown affected businesses would go a long way in maintaining the broader Queensland economy.
“We are still waiting for detail on how businesses impacted during lockdowns and restrictions to trade will be supported in the future to pay ongoing bills, maintain their commitment to staff and get back to business.
“The Treasurer has previously confirmed assistance would be offered to struggling business after seven days of lockdown. We are still waiting for details as to what any assistance on the table would include.
“The size and scale of the NSW package shows a strong commitment to business recovery and confidence. Other states and territories have also shown a commitment to their business sector, with Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory all providing lockdown support packages. Businesses expect the same here in Queensland.
“Further, while some businesses are not locked down, they’re locked out of key markets needed to keep trading and keep their businesses viable. The financial and emotional impact of lockdowns can reach far beyond those areas forced to close,” she said.
“That’s why we’ve been calling for the COVID-19 Hotspot Recovery Package and certainty of broader support for business for five months, to not only support those businesses forced to close and the staff that rely on them, but considerations for the wider business sector both in their immediate and long-term recovery, particularly in regional areas.”
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