The subsidy was crucial for many businesses to keep their workers employed during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. When the closure of the subsidy was announced, there were grim fears for local jobs.

However, Tasmania Small Business Council executive officer Robert Mallett feels the pain inflicted is likely to be industry specific rather than a mass impact.

"The downside for those tourism businesses is they may not be able to keep all their staff which is a shame," he said.

"But on the other hand ... there's a whole range of areas where we are particularly short of staff ... in the main there is plenty of work out and all these people who are displaced, if they are happy to be flexible should be able to find work quickly."

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Launceston Chamber of Commerce executive officer David Peach echoed those thoughts saying many of the chamber's associated businesses had weaned off the subsidy.

"Only in certain industries [would struggle] I'd imagine, tourism and the arts, hospitality, basically anywhere that is space constrained and can't push people through," he said.

Speaking on Saturday in Hobart at a Labor press conference, co-owner of Glen Derwent Heritage Retreat Liz Virtue explained how tourism businesses would struggle without the subsidy.

"We've been eligible for JobKeeper from the beginning up until now ... I've got six casual staff and three of those plus myself have been assisted with JobKeeper but that all ends," she said.

"If they choose to stay with me [beyond JobKeeper ending] it would be casual and potentially under-employed ... I run the risk of losing them if I can't give them enough hours.

Speaking on Saturday in Launceston at a Liberal press conference, Robert Luck of Allgoods said his business was travelling well after spending time on JobKeeper.

"12 months ago, things looked pretty bad but fortunately with government assistance we've been able to pull through and business has picked right up," he said.

"We qualified for JobKeeper for the first six months and after that things got back to normal and we've been fortunate enough to keep all our permanent staff."

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