As South Australia ‘joins the [lockdown] party’, on Tuesday 20 July 2021, the State and Federal Governments announce a combination of State and Federal Covid-19 financial support measures, very similar to those in operation in NSW and Victoria.
See below for further detail and relevant links.
COVID-19 disaster payment activated for South Australia hotspots
The Commonwealth has activated income support payments of up to $600 a week for South Australians affected by COVID-19 restrictions. The Prime Minister said a number of local government areas have been declared a “hotspot”, and the SA Government has declared a lockdown for the State for 7 days.
Accordingly, individuals will be eligible for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment if they have lost between 8-19 hours of work for a payment of $375, and for 20 or more hours of work for a payment of $600, during the period of the lockdown. The payments will be paid in arrears for the lockdown and anyone affected can apply through myGov from 28 July. There will be no liquid assets test applied to eligibility for these payments. More information about this payment and how to claim, will be made available on the Services Australia website soon at https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/covid-19-disaster-payment.
Source: Prime Minister’s media release, 20 July 2021
SA business support and cash grants for COVID-19 announced
The South Australian Government has announced cash grants for SA small businesses and income support payments for regional workers impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions.
SA Treasurer, Rob Lucas, said small and medium-sized businesses that suffer a significant loss of income or have been forced to close as a result of the State’s 7 day lockdown will be offered a $3,000 emergency cash grant as part of a $100m business support package. The package also includes a new $1,000 cash grant for eligible small businesses who don’t employ staff (eg non-employing sole traders).
Modelled on similar schemes in Victoria, NSW and WA, the SA grants will apply to those businesses with a payroll of less than $10m, with an annual turnover of $75,000 or more (in 2020-21 or 2019-20) and whose turnover is reduced by at least 30% over the 7 days from 20 July 2021 as a result of the lockdown. Application can be made via myGOV from 28 July.
In addition, the SA Government said it will provide fully-funded income support payments of up to $600 per week for eligible workers in regional SA, who live or work outside of the Commonwealth-declared “hotspot” local government areas (and, therefore, not entitled to the Commonwealth’s $375 or $600 per week support payments: see para [1] of this LTN).
[LTN 138, 21/7/21]