State labor has called on the government to implement a Tasmanian equivalent of JobSaver, as COVID continues to ravage the tourism and hospitality industry.
Opposition leader Rebecca White said while border closures were keeping Tasmanians safe, jobs and businesses were at risk.
"The government has said that they will respond and support business if and when it is necessary.
"It is now necessary," she said. "We're calling on the government to adopt the JobSaver program."
Through the JobSaver program in New South Wales, businesses that have suffered a 30 per cent or greater decline in turnover are eligible to would have their wages subsidised, based on their payroll.
Ms White said the Tasmanian government could replicate this through the $300 million COVID provision set aside in the budget.
Tourism operator Douglas O'Neil said he supported calls for greater financial support.
"We've seen a massive drop in revenue," Mr O'Neil said. "There's just no tourists coming in. ...Three weeks ago I woke up and cried looking at my bank statement because I didn't know how I was going to pay staff."
He said he had looked into the one-off grants available currently, but that it wasn't even going to cover a week of rent or wages.
Liberal member for Bass Michael Ferguson said the government had just unveiled their business support package and opened it for applications.
He said the government would be using this to gain feedback from the tourism and hospitality industries to hear what more support they need.
"We have, at our DNA, a concern for small business," Mr Ferguson said.
"We'll be taking feedback through that process and if there's more that we can do to provide even more targeted support... then the Premier has outlined a willingness to do that.
Meg Whitfield
Journalist at the Advocate Newspaper, Burnie, proudly covering Tasmania's North-West and West Coast. Got a tip?
Journalist at the Advocate Newspaper, Burnie, proudly covering Tasmania's North-West and West Coast. Got a tip?
