Businesses ask government to consider 'extraordinary emotional and financial impacts'
Aiming for immediate business recovery, Queensland employers have recently called for state and federal government support to address “extraordinary” emotional and financial impacts of COVID-19 and a recent natural disaster.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) had earlier made a plea after their “double whammy,” but a formal submission to the state has been announced. The CCIQ has also reportedly participated in key stakeholder discussions to seek swift action.
CCIQ sought after the following relief and recovery support for disaster directly and indirectly impacted businesses:
- Timely activation, broadening and enhancement of standard business assistance for natural disasters
- Activation of the Australian Government Emergency Response Fund
- State and Commonwealth taxation and permits assistance
- Business continuity support package for ongoing recovery, including buy local vouchers, targeted industry support, and mental and financial counselling
CCIQ policy and advocacy general manager Amanda Rohan once again stressed the “compounding impact” of a pandemic and a natural disaster on employers and businesses in two years.
“Once the immediacy of the impacts have passed it is important to focus on relief and recovery efforts and measures. Planning and communication of business relief and recovery is critical to provide certainty and clarity on support available,” Rohan said in a CCIQ media release.
“Longer term recovery will require additional ongoing support, including programs to show when South East Queensland is back open for business, targeted industry support and mental and financial counselling services for impacted businesses.”
“The relief provided for this disaster must take into consideration due to the pandemic this disaster is unlike any other regarding businesses ability to rebound – these are extraordinary circumstances, for all businesses,” Rohan added.
CCIQ also emphasised that although “timely activation” of recovery grants and loans for small businesses was “welcome to alleviate” direct and indirect impacts across the state, “there was still work to do support long-term physical, emotional and financial business recovery.”
“There is a need for the maximum amounts for business assistance to be revised for future events to reflect current day market prices and ensure the relief is fit-for-purpose and also some business certainty their applications will be reviewed and funds available as quickly as possible,” Rohan said.
“What’s important now is the speed of recovery to allow these directly and indirectly impacted businesses the best chance to recover in the immediate and long-term,” Rohan said.
