Coronavirus: Free financial counselling for regional small business

17 June 2020

Eligible small regional businesses now have access to free financial counselling, as the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment commits a further $4.785 million in COVID-19 support.

Additionally, $7 million has been pledged to provide financial guidance to those small business owners operating in drought-affected areas.

The counselling initiative aims to help business owners:

• understand their financial position and business viability 
• identify options to manage financial issues 
• develop budgets and cash flows
• create and implement an action plan 
• negotiate with lenders
• access dispute resolution services
• identify opportunities for other government and community grants, programs or schemes.

In recognition of the particular challenges regional businesses face, with operations relying on thriving, local communities, the service will be available until mid-2021. In order to be eligible, a business owner must:

• employ 19 people or less
• be experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, financial hardship due to the impacts of drought or COVID-19
• not be located within 20 kilometres of a town with a population greater than 50,000 people
• not be eligible to access services under the existing Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Program.

Chamber members requiring assistance and interested in using the service can begin the process by identifying their closest counsellor in:
Tasmania
Victoria

For more information
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Small Business Support