Federal and state government lockdown support measures have been announced
The assistance measures will provide support for individuals and businesses
The Property Council is continuing to engage with governments to support members during the current COVID lockdowns.

The Property Council has welcomed the recent announcements of support by the Federal, NSW, Victorian and South Australian governments. The Victorian government has unfortunately re-introduced an ill-targeted tenancy scheme giving owners’ capital to some medium and large tenants, beyond the heavy lifting already being done by Australian property owners who are supporting small business tenants on a case by case basis as appropriate.

Outlined below is information on the COVID-19 Disaster Payment for individuals, and business assistance available in NSW, Victorian and South Australia, which includes information about eligibility and coverage of the assistance measures.

This reflects the joint announcements by the Commonwealth and state governments regarding the NSW business support package expansion (media release); the Victorian business support package (media release); and the increased financial support under the COVID-19 Disaster Payment (media release).

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES

JobSaver Program

(more information see the ServiceNSW Website).

On 28 July, the NSW Government announced an expansion of its business support package. The changes take effect from 18 July 2021.

Businesses that have already submitted an application will not need to do anything - their payment will be automatically adjusted consistent with the expanded program.

JobSaver is being delivered by Service NSW and Revenue NSW. To apply go to the ServiceNSW Website.

The payment will be available to entities with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $250 million (increasing the maximum threshold from $50 million). Business will still need to demonstrate a 30 per cent decline in turnover.

Eligible firms will continue to receive 40% of weekly payroll with a minimum payment of $1500 per week and a maximum of $100,000 per week (increasing from $10,000).
For non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, the payment will be set at $1,000 per week.
Weekly payroll should generally be determined by referring to the most recent Business Activity Statement (BAS) provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) before 26 June 2021 for the 2020-21 financial year.

Eligible businesses can use JobSaver to cover business costs incurred from 18 July 2021. These costs may include:

salaries and wages
utilities and rent
financial, legal or other advice
marketing and communications
perishable goods
other business costs.

Eligibility criteria

have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
demonstrate your business was operating in NSW as at 1 June 2021
have had a national aggregated annual turnover between $75,000 and $250 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2020
have experienced a decline in turnover of 30% or more due to the Public Health Order over a minimum 2-week period within the Greater Sydney lockdown (commenced 26 June) compared to the same period in 2019
for employing businesses, maintain your employee headcount on 13 July 2021, by not taking active steps to terminate their employment, while you continue to receive JobSaver payments
for non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, show that the business is the primary income source for the associated person. If you have more than one non-employing business, you can only claim payments for one business.
Certain entities, such as those earning passive income (rents, interest, or dividends), government agencies, local governments, banks, and universities are not eligible for JobSaver.
See list of ineligible businesses in the guidelines.
Non-employing businesses are not eligible for the JobSaver payment if anyone associated with the business or who derives income from it, has received a Commonwealth COVID-19 Disaster Payment since 18 July 2021.

2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants

(more information see the ServiceNSW Website).

One-off payment of $7,500, $10,500 or $15,000 to help eligible businesses affected during first 3 weeks of lockdown.

Three different grant amounts will be available depending on the decline in turnover experienced over a minimum 2-week period from 26 June 2021 to 17 July 2021, compared to the same period in 2019:

$7,500 for a decline of 30% or more
$10,500 for a decline of 50% or more
$15,000 for a decline of 70% or more.

Eligibility criteria

An ABN
Demonstrate business was operating in NSW as at 1 June 2021
A revenue decline of 30% or more
Annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million for year ended 30 June 2020
Total annual Australian wage of $10 million or less as at 1 July 2020
Have business costs for which there is no other government support available
Maintain headcount as at 13 July 2021

Micro Business Support Grants

(more information see the ServiceNSW Website).

Small businesses, sole traders or not-for-profit organisations with aggregated annual turnover between $30,000 and $75,000 impacted by the recent COVID-19 restrictions may be eligible to apply for a fortnightly payment of $1,500 to cover business expenses for the duration of the Greater Sydney lockdown.

Eligibility criteria

have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) registered in, or demonstrate your business was primarily operating in, NSW as at 1 June 2021
have had aggregated annual turnover between $30,000 and $75,000 for the year ended 30 June 2020
have experienced a decline in turnover of 30% or more due to the public health orders over a minimum 2-week period within the Greater Sydney lockdown (commenced 26 June 2021 and due to end 30 July 2021), compared to the same period in 2019
have business costs for which no other government support is available (Businesses that received the $1,500 small business fees and charges rebate can apply for this grant.)
have not applied for either the 2021 COVID-19 business grant or the JobSaver payment
maintain your employee headcount as of 13 July 2021 while receiving payments from this grant, if you're an employing business
have this business as your primary income source if you're a non-employing business such as a sole trader.
For employing businesses, your employees can receive Commonwealth COVID-19 disaster payments if you receive this grant.

Other Support Measures

NSW Government has announced a deferral of payroll tax until 7 October 2021, and 25 per cent reduction in payroll tax for the 2021/22 financial year for eligible customers. More information on tax relief is available at ServiceNSW.

Businesses are eligible for the payroll tax waiver of 25 per cent if they have a national payroll of between $1.2 million and $10 million and have experienced a 30 per cent decline in turnover.

Commercial landlords liable for land tax will be eligible for a land tax concession of up to 100 per cent of the 2021 land tax year liability where they reduce the rent of financially distressed tenants. More information on commercial lease support is available at ServiceNSW.

The land tax reduction will be the lesser of:

the amount of rent reduction provided to an eligible tenant for any period between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021, or
100% of the land tax attributable to the parcel of land leased to that tenant.

SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS

COVID-19 Disaster Payment is available for people in the states currently experiencing lockdowns (NSW) or in respect of recent lockdowns (South Australia, and Victoria).

The current payment rates are:

$375 per week of lockdown for individuals who have lost between 8 hours and less than 20 hours, or a full day of work.
A full day of usual work is what an individual was scheduled to work but could not work because of a restricted movement order. This includes not being able to attend a full-time, part-time or casual shift of less than 8 hours.
$600 per week of lockdown for individuals who have lost 20 hours or more of work.

From the week commencing 2 August, the payment rates will increase to $450 and $750.

These new payment rates will be automatically updated for anyone who is already in the Services Australia system.
These new payment rates will apply from day one of any future lockdowns, with claims made from day eight in arrears for the previous seven days.
Services Australia will then make weekly payments for the duration of the COVID-19 hotspot declaration.

The Payment will be extended to income support recipients who have lost more than eight hours of work and meet the other eligibility requirements for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment, at a flat rate of $200 per week in addition to their existing payment.

Income support recipients can claim the Payment from 3 August.
The Payment will not be included in the social security income test.

Services Australia is delivering the Payment. The easiest way to claim is through the myGov website. Eligible visa holders should call Services Australia on 180 22 66.

More information can be found on the Services Australia website.

NEW SOUTH WALES

People who have been subject to lockdown restrictions in a Commonwealth-declared hotspot for the last few weeks have been able to claim the payment since 1 July (parts of Sydney) or 4 July (Greater Sydney).
People in the rest of the state whose paid work has been impacted by the restrictions have been able to apply for the payment since 18 July.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible for the payment an individual must either:

live or work in a local government area subject to lockdown in New South Wales, South Australia or Victoria and be unable to work and earn their usual income, OR
have been in a local government area subject to lockdown in New South Wales, South Australia or Victoria and have now travelled elsewhere and are subject to restrictions in that area and are unable to work and earn their usual income, OR
live or work anywhere in New South Wales, South Australia or Victoria and are unable to earn their usual income because of the lockdown in other parts of the state.
Unable to work and earn income includes being stood down, not being assigned any shifts for the week of restrictions and being unable to work from home.
Sole traders may apply for COVID-19 Disaster Payment if they are unable to operate their business from home.

Individuals must also meet additional criteria, including:

Be an Australian citizen, resident or holder of a visa permitted to work in Australia,
be at least 17 years old,
not receiving an income support payment,
Income support payments include: Age Pension, Austudy, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension, Farm Household Allowance, JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment, Partner Allowance, Special Benefit, Widow Allowance, Youth Allowance and Income Support Supplement, Service Pension or Veteran Pension from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Not receiving COVID-19-related paid leave, Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment or a state/territory based pandemic payment for individuals or businesses, and
not have access to appropriate paid leave entitlements.
Appropriate leave includes special pandemic paid leave, paid sick/carers leave only when you are sick or injured or need to care for an immediate family/household member who is sick or injured, or for an emergency.
Appropriate leave does not include annual leave, long service leave, unpaid leave, or any leave you are not able to access when you have been stood down without pay by your employer under the Fair Work Act.

The Payment is available even if an individual is eligible on only one day during a payment period.

COVID-19 Support