In a media release issued this week NSW Labor says take up of the NSW Government’s $10,000 small business grant is ‘alarmingly low’, after the Premier (April 17th) revealed that only 2,500 NSW small businesses have accessed the scheme.
NSW Labor called for the Berejiklian Government to launch a targeted campaign to those eligible small businesses so they can get immediate financial assistance.
Labor’s Shadow Minister for Small Business Daniel Mookhey said "Unfortunately, NSW lags behind other comparable jurisdictions when it comes to providing assistance to those hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis – especially when compared to New Zealand.
“The Premier shouldn’t be saying ‘Mission accomplished’ when more than 99% of NSW small businesses are missing out on help from the NSW Government.
“Ms Berejiklian should stop the self-congratulations and instead launch a targeted campaign to let the 732,000 NSW small businesses who haven’t asked for a grant know this support is available.
“A mere 2,500 small businesses out of a possible 732,000 receiving assistance is woeful and the Berejiklian Government owes it to those small businesses, and their hard working employees, to get them real assistance.”
Shadow Treasurer Walt Secord said: “There can be no economic recovery in New South Wales without small businesses. NSW Labor led the push for a small business grant scheme to boost small businesses' cash flow.
“The Commonwealth Government’s Job Keeper payments won’t flow until May. This grant scheme can help NSW small businesses survive until then, but the Berejiklian Government must take steps immediately to promote this scheme to the 99% of small businesses who are yet to apply for assistance.”
“This is another example of a NSW Government program where the Premier talks big but delivers very little or very few people are able to access the program,” Mr Secord added.
