Calling for businesses to be included NSW Government Covid-19 Business Grants Assistance Package for the Northern Beaches announced last week by NSW Small Business Minister Damien Tudehope, Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou says Berala deserves the same support.
“It’s a shame that our state representative for small business is selective in who receives grant assistance. Clearly, Cumberland City is on the wrong side of the Harbour Bridge,” he said.
“It’s true that Berala isn’t a beachside community that attracts backpackers or international tourists but it’s a community that was hit hard financially by the recent cluster and many businesses were forced to close during the Christmas period.
“Our region deserves the same support to assist an economic recovery from Covid-19. Businesses are suffering out here and the community deserves an explanation as to why they didn’t receive their fair share of grant assistance.“
While praising the Berala community for “coming out in droves” to get tested during the cluster outbreak, Mr Tudehope said the financial grants were in recognition of the Government’s decision to lockdown the Northern Beaches.
“There was no Public Health Order forcing a lockdown of Berala,” he said.
Mr Tudehope added that NSW was “leading the way” with small business support grants of grants of $10,000 and recovery grants of up to $3,000 to all eligible small businesses impacted by the state wide Public Health Order last year.
