The Victorian Government has announced a major stimulus injection of $200 million to target key sectors led by hospitality and tourism and will help businesses recover strongly from the effects of the Omicron variant.

The package includes the following supports for Victorian residents:

• New and extended $100 million voucher scheme will provide rebates to Victorians for entertainment, dining and travel;
• This includes a $10 million round of Melbourne Money to be delivered with the City of Melbourne, enticing diners back to city cafes, bars and restaurants by reimbursing part of their bill;
• New $30 million round of the Victorian Travel Voucher Scheme will encourage even more people to holiday at home and spend on accommodation, attractions and tours; and
• New entertainment voucher scheme will provide $30 million in rebates for tickets to the theatre, live music, cinemas, museums, galleries, conferences, exhibitions and other events across Victoria.

The package includes the following supports for businesses:

• $60 million Ventilation Voucher Program to help small businesses purchase equipment and upgrades to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and improve customer confidence;
• $34.2 million of Jobs Victoria funding to place workers in over 1,500 jobs across hospitality, warehousing and logistics, tourism and food processing;
• Further $5 million to extend the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program, providing rebates of up to $1,200 so businesses can access a range of digital tools; and
• Extension of the Business Recovery and Resilience Mentoring Program with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry so more small businesses have access to coaching.

For more information on the package and when each program opens, visit vic.gov.au/business-stimulus-package.

Please do not hesitate to contact your Lowe Lippmann Relationship Partner if you wish to discuss any of these matters further.