BENDIGO'S business community has urged government to make sure its financial support leaves no one behind during Victoria's fifth COVID-19 lockdown.
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Central Victorian businesses were ineligible for federal COVID-19 disaster payments announced on Thursday, but will meet geographical eligibility criteria for state government payments announced on Friday.
Be.Bendigo chief executive Dennis Bice said support for businesses in lockdown was key to a better economic outcome afterwards.
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Mr Bice said Bendigo businesses needed support during lockdown, regardless of whether they were in a Commonwealth COVID-19 hotspot or not.
"We need businesses to be able to continue to contribute to regional economies, and that means all businesses," Mr Bice said.
"It's critical to the survival and longevity of businesses that they continue. Businesses employ people and people who are employed spend money."
The federal government announced COVID-19 disaster payments on Thursday, which only apply to Victorians who are both subject to a lockdown and live in a federally-declared virus hotspot.
Most of regional Victoria has not been declared COVID-19 hotspot by the federal government, but is subject to state government stay-at-home orders.
Federal hotspots as of Friday included Greater Melbourne, Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliff and Moorabool and Surf Coast Shires.
The federal payments apply to workers unable to work due to a state or territory public health order that restricts movement.
But it is only available for the second and subsequent weeks of any restrictions.
For weeks two and three of restrictions workers receive $500 per week if they have lost 20 hours or more of paid employment each week, and $325 if they have lost less.
From week four of restrictions onward workers receive $600 per week if they have lost 20 hours or more work per week, and $375 who have lost between eight and 20 hours per week, or a full day of usual work hours.
Other news:
The state government announced on Friday it would offer payments to Victorians outside the COVID-19 hotspot zones, but subject to lockdown.
Businesses that received payment through the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and the Business Costs Assistance Program will receive payments of $3000 and $2000 respectively.
Workers outside of official hotspots, but affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, are eligible for the same amount of money as those in hotspots are under the federal system.
The state government said it had reached an agreement with the federal government to fund income support payments from day one of the lockdown.
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