The McGowan Government has launched a $77 million Safe Transition Industry Support Package to support businesses and individuals in sectors most affected by the decision to delay the full reopening of Western Australia’s borders.
The package includes nine support programs for the international education, tourism, aviation and events sectors.
The $77 million Safe Transition Industry Support Package includes:
- International Education support:
- $6 million Industry Support Program – grants of $50,000 and $100,000 respectively to assist eligible small and medium-sized education providers impacted by the closure of international borders;
- $8 million Student Quarantine Support Program – $2,000 payments available to assist international students with quarantine-related costs studying at Western Australian education institutions in Semester 1, 2022; and
- $2 million University Services for Students Support Program – providing a supplementary $500 payment to universities for each impacted international student to provide support services (e.g. transport and welfare services).
- Tourism support, with eligible businesses to have a choice of applying for either the:
- $20 million Tourism Support Program – to provide immediate assistance comprising $10,000 to sole traders and $20,000 to employing businesses to offset expenses incurred in preparation for the initially scheduled full border opening; or
- $15 million Tourism Deposit Refund Program – to provide assistance of up to $50,000 to eligible tourism businesses that have refunded deposits from some cancelled interstate and international bookings.
- Other tourism and travel-related support includes:
- $10 million boost to the existing Aviation Recovery Fund as part of the Reconnect WA package – taking the total in this Fund to $75 million; and
- $3 million Travel Agent Support Fund – offering grants of up to $10,000 for eligible home-based businesses and $20,000 for eligible brick-and-mortar businesses.
- Events support:
- $10 million extension and expansion of the Getting the Show Back on the Road Program – to cover up to 75 per cent of lost ticket sales where a State Government mandate directly requires an event to be cancelled; self-cancelled events linked to the border delay decision; and eligible substantially scaled back events that proceed; and
- $3 million Event Suppliers Support Program – providing payments to eligible event suppliers for ticketed events with $10,000 grants for sole traders, $20,000 for small businesses and $50,000 for large businesses with pre-COVID annual turnover of more than $1 million.
Applications for these support programs will open soon.
For more information about this package and specific programs, please visit https://www.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“There is no denying that Omicron has changed the world with how easily transmissible and infectious it is.
“That’s why it would have been reckless and irresponsible to fully reopen WA’s borders, when many people had not yet had the opportunity to get their third dose.
“Our decision to delay the full border opening was about saving lives and saving jobs, and minimising the impact Omicron could have on our economy.
“Our $77 million Safe Transition Industry Support Package is here to offer some support to those sectors most significantly affected by this decision, including international education, tourism, aviation and events.
“The nine programs announced today are designed to support the cash flow of businesses and partially offset some of the additional costs or lost revenues in these sectors.
“For two years WA has avoided the worst of the pandemic and our economy and local businesses have benefitted, but as Omicron begins to spread in our community, it will cause problems and disrupt our unique way of life.
“We will continue to consider ways that we can assist Western Australian businesses and households as we make this transition.
“Like always, together Western Australians will get through this – by following the health advice and benefiting from high levels of vaccination.”
