Katter’s Australian Party Leader Robbie Katter has backed calls from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland’s (CCIQ) for the Labor Government to provide small businesses hit by the latest snap lockdown with a targeted financial stimulus package.
Mr Katter said other states and territories had provided state-based economic packages to small businesses so they could survive after suffering extreme revenue loss from COVID lockdowns.
Millions of Queenslanders, including in Townsville, Magnetic Island, and Palm Island, were plunged into a shock lockdown on Tuesday after a COVID-19-positive case from Brisbane travelled through the North.
Small businesses in Townsville are already reporting shocking losses as a result of the forced lock-down and strict restrictions on those businesses still allowed to open. [1]
The CCIQ has called for payments of up to $25,000 for affected businesses to cover loss of stock and trade and support the reinstatement of business operations.
Mr Katter said the KAP agreed there was a need for financial support, but that it should be scaled according to demonstrated need.
He said it was unsustainable in the long-term for small businesses, and tax-payers through rescue packages, to absorb the financial impacts of unpredictable lock-downs.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and don’t have the ability survive long-term economic pressure, especially pressure forced upon them by their own Government,” the Traeger MP said.
“As they say, put your money where your mouth is; if the Palaszczuk Government expects the small business community to shut up shop and fall in line to stop the spread of COVID, they must be prepared to foot the bill for these small businesses to stay afloat.”
“When you drive through North Queensland, through Townsville and out west, you do not overwhelmingly see big business; you see hundreds of little shopfronts all run and staffed by locals in the community.
“We want to keep it that way, but they cannot sustain these hits on their own.”
Mr Katter said just like money does not grow on trees, it doesn’t just magically appear in the till at the end of the day either.
He said he would today write to the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skill development Di Farmer, requesting she honour the CCIQ’s request.
[1] https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/covid-rule-uncertainty-hampers-townsvilles-small-businesses/news-story/ab3db322924c00e0e4488702fd81e47d
Unfortunately they won’t. Editor
I would rather the Katters ‘call out the fraud’, too…
Wonderful suggestion but the Covid cops will pounce, as you say there are far more of us than them.Ed
Well – tell them ALL to STOP complying!!!! ALL of Australia walking around with slave muzzles on! Go back to their businesses, there are more people than police! Urge them to do it enmasse! It’s entirely UNlawful!!! Magna Carta!!!Sent from my Galaxy
Economic packages will just postpone the inevitable. Our state politicians need to stand up and speak out against this ongoing plandemic madness like more and more federal pollies are. Of politicians don’t stand with us against this crippling communist act then in my eyes they are in full support of the new dictatorial order.
Sure but this is what they want – They had a problem with us because we had so much natural materials they could not bankrupt us – But COVID is their big chance – SO Sumo is borrowing big time..They must have us in deep debt so when they pull the financial system they can walk in and take everything. I would rather the Katters called out the fraud..