Lower the threshold for the Small Business Covid-19 Support Grant
Petitioner:
Cr Jess Scully
| Member:
Greenwich, Alex
| No. of Signatories:
12,728
| Date closed:
22/07/2021
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,
Creative and personal services workers are some of the small businesses whose income has been most dramatically impacted over the last year of restrictions – including the current lockdown.
But many of these businesses are ineligible for State Government support because grants are only given to businesses that have been operating for over a year, with more than $75,000 in turnover.
This eligibility criteria excludes many creative sector sole businesses, like sound and lighting technicians, media producers, marketers and photographers, performers, artists, musicians, dancers, DJs and comedians. It also excludes many sole trading service providers, like hairdressers, massage therapists, fitness instructors, florists, caterers and designers.
Many of these people live from gig-to-gig on freelance contracts or earn client-to-client, and many commonly earn below the $75,000 threshold, but they are essential contributors to the NSW economy. Their industries have been the first to experience restrictions. They often have no paid leave entitlements and cannot "work from home". A stay-at-home order is a no-pay order.
This is not a small group; in the City of Sydney local government area alone there are around 20,000 businesses with a turnover of $50,000 per annum or less.
This petition asks you to reduce the income threshold for these and any future Covid hardship grants for small businesses and sole traders, so that these businesses can receive much needed support. It also asks that you consider including businesses that have been operating for less than 12 months.
