By Colin MacGillivray
SEYMOUR businesses, clubs and community groups are still grappling with the fallout of October’s record flooding, with some struggling to access much-needed government grants amid predictions the clean-up effort will last at least another year.
The State Government is offering one-off $5000 grants for small businesses and not-for-profit community sport organisations affected by the floods through its Small Business Immediate Flood Relief Program and its Community Sport Emergency Flood Assistance Program.
Groups that are successful in obtaining a grant through either program are then eligible to apply for further grants of up to $50,000 through the government’s Business and Community Sport Flood Recovery Grants.
But while many Seymour businesses have obtained initial $5000 grants, Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said many were having difficulty accessing larger grants.
She said some businesses would be unable to reopen unless they received financial assistance in the next few weeks.
“I’ve spoken to business owners right across our region and there is considerable uncertainty and anxiety around flood payments,” she said.
“It was great to see the initial $5000 payment out the door promptly, but businesses now need further support dealing with such substantial damage and loss of income.
“The sad reality is that if many businesses don’t see financial assistance in their account soon their doors may not open again.”
Ms Cleeland said she had been in contact with Small Business Minister Natalie Suleyman in the hope of expediting financial assistance for groups and businesses.
“People are finding it incredibly difficult to negotiate the bureaucracy so anything that can be done to simplify and speed up the process is incredibly welcome,” she said.
Some community groups have been entirely unable to access grant money, including the Seymour Agricultural and Pastoral Society.
Secretary Pam Beerens said because the society was not registered for goods and services tax, GST, it was ineligible for grant payments.
“With the various criteria that exist, the main grants that businesses and sporting bodies can apply for, we don’t fall under. If you’re not registered for GST – it’s hard,” she said.
“We’ve spoken with Mitchell Shire Council about it. They were hoping to turn it around and get grants, and I think they are one of only a couple of councils that are trying to get groups that are not GST registered to be eligible for grants.
“We’re not the only ag society that has been affected by this. A lot of them have been impacted.”
Ms Beerens said the society lost much of its equipment, including all of its trestle tables, during the floods.
“We’re looking at how we’re going to replace stuff,” she said.
“Yes, we’ve got until October [for the Seymour Show], but it’s going to take that whole length of time to prepare, and that’s without the other activities we run in the meantime with the [Seymour Alternative Faming] Expo and our sheep dog trials in March.
“For [last year’s] show everyone had spent the 12 months after COVID preparing. That takes a lot out of everyone. Then two weeks later the floods happened, and we’ve been dealing with that ever since. There hasn’t been a lot of respite in the past year for our members.”
Despite the society’s challenges, Ms Beerens guaranteed the Seymour Show would run as usual on October 6 and 7, and predicted it would be well attended by the community.
“Last year after we’d cancelled for the previous two years because of COVID, it was really well supported because everybody put their heart into it. We’ll do it again this year. We’ll bounce back,” she said.
Kings Park committee of management chair Ken Hall said the group had also struggled to access the second round of grant funding due to a GST-related technicality.
With fresh turf laid on the park’s oval last week and work to refurbish a toilet block imminent, Mr Hall said the committee was hopeful the ground would reopen to the public at the start of February.
But he warned the clean-up was far from over.
“We desperately need [the grant money] here because we’re going to have ongoing costs for the next 12 months at least,” he said.
Ms Cleeland encouraged any community groups and businesses requiring grant assistance to contact Business Victoria or call her office.
“If anyone in concerned about the progress of their application I encourage them to follow up with Business Victoria on 13 22 15 and check the status of their application on the Business Victoria Grants Portal,” she said.
“If you or someone you know if struggling to navigate the emergency flood payments, please get in touch. My office is always open to anyone who needs assistance. My team and I will help wherever we can.”
