Extended Lockdown Will Weigh Heavily

The announcement today by the NSW Premier to extend the lockdown period in Greater Sydney will continue to weigh heavily on the level of activity in sectors directly impacted in the Hunter Region, according to the regions peak business organisation Business Hunter.

---

The decision to extend the lock down to at least Friday 30 July under the current settings is understandable given the latest COVID case results and the health advice, but a setback for the regions of NSW and will add to exiting negative sentiment, according to Business Hunter.

“The support package announced yesterday will go some way to offsetting the economic hardship experienced by individuals and businesses. We urge anyone who is impacted to immediately check if they are entitled to support” said Business Hunter Chief Executive Officer Bob Hawes.

“Business Hunter also implores our regional community to not only do the right thing so we don’t register cases locally or see an extension of the restrictions, but also to do what they can to support local businesses as we go about our lives over the next few weeks.

“The struggles being experienced by local businesses in sectors like hospitality and tourism are well documented and we are all in a position to help mitigate the downturn by continuing to patronise and support these local businesses” said Business Hunter Chief Executive Officer Bob Hawes.

“We want businesses in the hard-hit sectors to be in the best position to be able to retain their employees. This will be difficult if the level of local economic activity wanes as it has done over the past few weeks. We want everyone to do the right thing, exhaust those Dine and Discover vouchers and try to stay positive.

“What is also crucial is for support money to start flowing as quickly as possible – the Government is moving quickly to expand the access channels and it’s important from a mental health perspective that those affected know there is support available and how they can access it” Mr Hawes said.

“Being able to retain staff gives businesses the best chance to rebound when the lockdown finishes and restrictions ease,” Mr Hawes said.