Dear Members,

NSW COVID-19 Support Package

Under a new combined support package, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be further expanded and increased. The Federal and State governments will also enter a 50/50 cost-sharing arrangement for new business support payments to be implemented in NSW.
COVID-19 Disaster Payment

From week four of a lockdown of a Commonwealth declared hotspot, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will increase to $600 if a person has lost 20 or more hours of work a week, or $375 if a person has lost between 8 and less than 20 hours of work a week.

This payment will become a recurring payment for approved recipients as long as the Commonwealth declared hotspot and lockdown restrictions remain in place.

From 18 July 2021, the payment will be available to those outside Commonwealth declared hotspots in NSW that meet the criteria for the payment.

This support will be offered to any other state or territory that experiences an extended lockdown.

Information on how to apply for COVID-19 Disaster Payments can be found at the Services Australia website.

Small and Medium-Sized Business Support Payments

A new business support payment will be available to entities with an annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million who can demonstrate a 30 percent decline in turnover compared to the equivalent two-week period in 2019.

To receive the payment, eligible entities will be required to maintain their full-time, part-time and long-term casual staffing level as of 13 July 2021.

Eligible entities will receive payments of between $1500 and $10,000 per week based on the level of their payroll.

For non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, the payment will be set at $1000 per week.

Businesses can register their interest from 14 July 2021 at www.service.nsw.gov.au

Tax relief

Additional support will be provided through the tax system by:

Making NSW small business grants, including the new small business payments, tax-exempt
Providing administrative relief to NSW taxpayers facing hardship, including reduced payment plans, no interest charged on late payments and varying instalments on request

A government media release regarding the support package available here.

Additional COVID-19 testing requirements have been implemented for residents in the Fairfield LGA who work outside their area, and for residents in Greater Sydney who work in regional NSW

Fairfield LGA

If you live in or are staying in the Fairfield local government area but you work outside this area, you must have a COVID-19 test once every 72 hours (3 days) in order to be allowed to enter a workplace.

Proof of COVID-19 test

You must have proof of your COVID-19 test such as an SMS text message on your phone or an email addressed to you.

Employees must show proof of their test when asked at their workplace by a manager (occupier) or to a police officer.

You do not need to get the results of your COVID-19 test before going to or staying at work.

You must get a test every 72 hours (3 days) when you are working outside the Fairfield local government area if you live in or are staying in the Fairfield local government area.

If you test positive, follow the rules for people who are confirmed cases of COVID-19

Entry to a workplace

Follow the requirements if you are the occupier of a premise that is

not a place of residence
located outside the Fairfield local government area.

You must not allow a person to work at your premises unless that person has had a COVID-19 test in the past 72 hours.

You are allowed to ask a person who is at your premises to show you proof that they have had a COVID-19 test in the past 72 hours.

This applies to all people, including employees, contractors, and other service providers who

work at your premises and
live in the Fairfield local government area.

You do not need to get a COVID-19 test before working outside the Fairfield LGA if you live outside the Fairfield LGA.

Entry to a workplace outside Greater Sydney

There are new requirements for workplaces that are

50km or more outside Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong, and Shellharbour LGAs
Has a person work at the premises who lives in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong, and Shellharbour LGAs

These employers must not allow a person to start work or remain at their premises unless the person has had a COVID-19 test in the past 7 days.

You are allowed to ask a person who is at your premises to show you proof that they have had a COVID-19 test in the past 7 days.

This applies to all people including employees, contractors, and other service providers who work at your premises and live in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong, and Shellharbour LGAs.

An exemption is in place so that a worker from Fairfield LGA has until 16 July to be tested and a worker from Greater Sydney has until 18 July to be tested.

Yours sincerely,