Glen Dhu Children's Services owner Mel Reid fears for the future of her business, after it was rejected for a state government Covid-19 support loan.
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The federal government will cover 50 per cent of an early childhood education centre's costs as well as staff costs through the $1500 fortnightly Jobkeeper subsidy, which comes into effect in May.
But Ms Reid said even with those measures she doesn't see the centre breaking even: "Some casuals wouldn't have been earning that amount anyway. Now they are, and I have on-costs, like workers compensation, that we wouldn't normally have had. Other staff members would have earned more than that, and we're responsible for the gap in what they would have been earning."
"And we're all going to have a cashflow problems from now until May [when the Jobkeeper payments begin]."
She said the significant concerns for the viability of the business were coming on top concerns for the health of her staff, who were continuing to work through social distancing restrictions.
"They are all showing up to work with a smile on their faces, they are all putting themselves at risk, and they are all going home to their families," she said.
"My biggest message to everybody is - our families respect the job we do, we need the government to respect the job we do. Don't forget us. Please."
A state government spokesperson said child care centres that demonstrated they had been impacted by the coronavirus and met the other debt servicing criteria, were being considered for the COVID-19 Business Support Loan Scheme.
"All businesses should continue to engage with their commercial financiers in respect of their financial circumstances," they said.
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