NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet praises business community as regions bounce back

Dominic Perrottet, during a visit to Port Macquarie, acknowledged it had been a difficult time for businesses due to the impact of bushfires and then COVID-19.

"It's important for me, with the budget coming up in the next couple of weeks, just to see how local businesses are going during this period," he said.

Mr Perrottet and Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams spoke about business matters at Settlers Inn and Billabong Zoo on Wednesday (October 28).

The Treasurer praised the business sector for its response to COVID-19 safety plans and urged businesses to hang in there.

"The pandemic is not going anywhere soon and we have to learn to have our economy living alongside this virus and I have just been so impressed with all businesses," he said.

Mr Perrottet said it was great to see the regions flourishing and Sydneysiders holidaying in regional towns like Port Macquarie.

The state government has provided bushfire recovery and COVID-19 response measures.

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"Port Macquarie small businesses have received $12 million in COVID-19 Small Businesses Support and Recovery Grants since April this year to help keep local businesses in business and people in jobs," Mr Perrottet said.

"In addition, local government and industries have received almost $3 million in bushfire recovery grants through the Bushfire Community Resilience and Economic Recovery Fund and the Bushfire Industry Recovery Package."

Mrs Williams also highlighted support measures in response to the bushfires and COVID-19.

"I think it's really important that it has been a combination of a number of incentives, grants and stimulus as well as working closely with the federal government," she said.

"I also think the community has played an incredible role in Port Maquarie from when we first went into lockdown to where we are today and also through the bushfires."

Hotelier Alistair Flower spoke with Mr Perrottet and Mrs Williams about the challenges of finding staff, rising meat costs due to the drought and costs associated with COVID-safe plans.

"It is most important we maintain safety for the community and it was great to be able to highlight costs associated with these [COVID] guidelines to our industry," he said.

Mr Flower also welcomed the extension of group bookings at hospitality venues to 30 people and thanked the Treasurer for the government initiative, Great Southern Nights music event.

Australian artists will perform more than 1000 COVID-safe gigs across regional NSW and Sydney in November to boost the entertainment industry.

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