To our Maribyrnong Business Community, 

A new jointly funded package from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will give Victorian small and medium businesses the extra support and confidence they need to recover from the most recent lockdown.

New cash payments will underpin businesses most affected by the lockdown introduced to eradicate the deadly Delta strain of coronavirus that has re-emerged in Victoria.

Recognising the heavy toll on businesses across the state, a $400 million package jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will provide automatic payments to almost 100,000 eligible businesses, including sole traders, to ensure funds are distributed quickly.

Further hardship funds will be made available to eligible businesses that do not qualify for existing programs.

The new package follows the $400 million Commonwealth-State injection announced last week and builds on more than $950 million in support grants paid by the Victorian Government into the bank accounts of Victorian businesses since June. 

Some of the support measures offered to Victorian businesses and workers in the announcement on 6 August, include: 

  • $266 million Business Costs Assistance Program Round Three grant 
  • $68.8 million Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund extension 
  • $54 million added to the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund 
  • $10.6 million extension of the Alpine Business Support Program 
  • Federal COVID-19 Disaster Payment 
More information will be published on the Business Victoria website over the coming days

QR Codes now mandatory

All businesses must now be using the Victorian Government QR Code. Businesses currently using a Victorian Government Application Programming Interface (API) must switch. For instruction on how to switch, please register to use the Victorian Government QR code service.

Once lockdown ends, businesses should proactively encourage customers to check-in and must make reasonable efforts to provide a smartphone or other device to use an alternative record keeping system (such as pen and paper) for people wo do not have access or cannot use the QR Code Service check-in. 


Additional Exposure Sites Listed
Please also make sure you keep abreast of the latest COVID-19 Exposure sites via the Coronovirus.vic.gov.au website.  There have been many Tier 1 and 2 sites added across our municipality. If you have visited one of these locations, please ensure you are tested and isolated until further notice.

Best wishes,
The Economic Development Team
Maribyrnong City Council