Auto hit hard

1 October 2021

What support?

A VACC member survey has revealed how hard Victoria’s automotive industry has been hit by COVID-19 and related restrictions. It provides a snapshot of the true level of support – or lack thereof – from current government support packages:

• Based on the modelling of the survey results 7,523 full-time equivalent staff are estimated to be lost from 1 July 2019 to 30 October 2021
• 67.1 percent of survey respondents had a greater than 40 percent revenue decrease since September 2020
• 64.64 percent of respondents did not qualify or did not apply for the Victorian Government Business Costs Assistant Program
• 81.39 percent of respondents did not qualify or did not apply for the Victorian State Government Small Business Hardship Fund
• 76.1 percent of respondents were not able to negotiate successfully for commercial tenancy relief with their landlord
• 27 percent of full-time employed staff are currently receiving COVID-19 disaster payments from the Federal Government, because they worked between eight to 20 hours less per week
• 23.2 percent of full-time employed staff are currently receiving COVID-19 disaster payments from the Federal Government, because they worked more than 20 hours less per week
• 80.43 percent of respondents are not utilising the Federal Government’s Boosting Apprenticeships Commencements scheme
• 92 percent of industry want to see JobSaver or a similar payment introduced in Victoria.

Many business owners are reporting financial stress but don’t fit the cookie-cutter government templates for support packages. So, they miss out and consequently so too do the local people they employ – and the communities they serve.

Words: VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym.

Share your thoughts! E: ceo@vacc.com.au. As featured in the Herald Sun 1 October 2021.