Support for small businesses is at the heart of the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s Plan to rebuild a stronger Tasmania.
We have a committed Small Business team in the Department of State Growth, who are dedicated to working with our partners and industry and have readily adapted to respond to emerging issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting businesses throughout the pandemic has been the focus for our Small Business team, including Business Tasmania.
Activity on the Business Tasmania website increased significantly during COVID-19 demonstrating its critical function as a source of information for Tasmanian businesses. This increased from 1,280 user sessions in February 2020 to over 47,000 in April 2020.
Business Tasmania has handled more than 11,000 calls since 23 March 2020 and 6,200 businesses have registered impact from COVID-19.
The Business Tasmania team provides tailored information and referrals to a range of support services and disseminates information through an electronic newsletter or in hard copy for those who may not have reliable access to the internet.
As Minister for Small Business, Hospitality and Events, I’m very proud that the Tasmanian Liberal Government has already supported more than 14,000 individual businesses through the various grants programs. Direct financial assistance is only part of the support provided with workshops and information sessions on a range of topics provided around the State throughout the year. For more information sign up to the Business Tasmania newsletter at www.business.tas.gov.au