Ararat Greater Business Network president Maria Whitford has said local businesses are in a strong position ahead of JobKeeper ending, but may be indirectly affected by the subsidy's discontinuation.
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Through JobKeeper, businesses suffering a decline in turnover during the pandemic had been eligible for funding support to help pay employee wages.
Since January 4, this has been up to $1000 fortnightly for each employee; however, these payments will cease on Sunday, March 28.
Ms Whitford said while the program's end would undoubtedly be a blow for businesses relying on the subsidy, she did not believe many Ararat companies were still in this category.
"It will absolutely have a financial effect but I think the Ararat region has actually come through COVID well," she said.
"We haven't had a lot of businesses come to us suggesting that it's going to hurt them dramatically."
Ararat Rural City Council chief executive Dr Tim Harrison reinforced this when speaking at the Ararat Business Breakfast on Wednesday, March 17.
"Our unemployment rate has fallen to just 3.6%, which is lower than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.
"Business occupancy rates in Ararat support this further with retail occupancy rates higher than they were a year ago."
Ms Whitford said Ararat benefits from an influx of tourists travelling closer to home.
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"We're very, very lucky we're on the way to the Grampians. With people travelling intrastate we're in a great region," she said.
"In winter there is always a drop-off but I believe people in this region know how to adapt their businesses for winter."
However, Ms Whitford did note JobKeeper may still indirectly affect businesses that do not utilise the subsidy.
"If it's going to affect the region it's going to be because other jurisdictions have done it tough and they won't have dollars to spend in our region," she said.
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"If JobKeeper ending affects Melbourne, which it probably will dramatically, then there might be a flow-on effect that may affect our region."
Ms Whitford said the network might be able to do more to help struggling businesses later in the year.
"In the long-term, if people are trying to sell their business we may be looking at a way to assist them and show them how to sell their businesses successfully rather than just shutting shop," she said.
"There may not be anything we can do to keep the place open because it's not our charter, but we may be able to help them successfully sell.
"It will be a program we might launch in the next few months."
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