Covid-19 Information

National Cabinet agreed to end the mandatory isolation requirements for COVID-19 effective from 14 October 2022. Each state and territory has, or will, implement the end of the isolation rules.

COVID-19 support will roll back as states and territories reach vaccination targets.

The National Plan, the road map out of COVID-19, does more than provide greater freedoms at 70% and 80% full vaccination rates, it withdraws the steady stream of Commonwealth financial support to individuals and business impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and border closures. We look at the impact and the support that remains in place.

The support available to individuals and business has been constantly evolving and changing. Here’s a summary of where support stands around the country.

There are currently no laws or public health orders in Australia that specifically enable employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against coronavirus. However, it is likely that in some circumstances an employer may require an employee to be vaccinated.

31 December 2020 is the last day you can apply to access your superannuation early under the COVID-19 early access measures. The ATO has warned that those wanting to access their superannuation pre-Christmas will need to complete the application by 11 December 2020.

The ATO has extended the JobKeeper monthly business declaration deadline for the month of December until 28 January 2021 (from 14 Jan 2021).

The first tranche of JobKeeper ended on 27 September 2020. We look at the issues for those seeking to qualify for the second tranche of JobKeeper and for those no longer eligible.

The Government has stepped in to prevent a wave of insolvencies when the COVID-19 support measures run their course in December 2020. Temporary insolvency and bankruptcy protections are in place until 31 December 2020 to enable businesses to trade through the pandemic

Now, more than ever, business operators should have a plan in place to manage during uncertain times. Even if your business is not directly impacted, it’s likely your customers, your supply chain, and your workforce will be to some extent.

So, how do you plan for uncertainty when every assumption is subject to change?

With the employee test date for JobKeeper moved to 1 July 2020, some additional employees might have become eligible for JobKeeper. The August JobKeeper monthly business declaration is due by 14 September and is different to the previous form as it covers three JobKeeper fortnights.

If you are selling your business, merging, acquiring, or inviting in new investors, you need to understand the value of your business. But, to what degree does the pandemic impact on value? Should you discount or hold firm to pre COVID-19 performance on the basis that ‘we’re going to come out of it eventually’?

The Government has announced further changes to the JobKeeper scheme. The good news is that employees that missed out on JobKeeper because they were not employed on 1 March 2020 might now be eligible

On 21 July 2020, the Government announced that due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the JobKeeper Payment Scheme will be extended by six months until 28 March 2021, from the original end date of 27 September 2020. The period of the extended scheme comprises 13 fortnights - ie. the proposed extension doubles the length of the original scheme.

An employment termination payments (ETP) is a lump sum payment made to an employee when their job is terminated. ETP’s are generally made up of unused sick leave or unused rostered days off, payment in lieu of leave, genuine redundancy payments, etc.

We always knew that a Government scheme swiftly distributing cash during a crisis was going to come with equally swift compliance and review measures, particularly when eligibility was self-assessed. Two major Australian Taxation Office (ATO) initiatives are searching out fraud and schemes designed to take advantage of the Government’s Coronavirus Economic Response Package.

The Victorian Government has released the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Business Support and Financial Assistance Finder online.

Last week the government announced special arrangements this year with regard to completing your individual tax return and taking account of the current working from home measures. This will make it easier for people to claim working from home deductions.

We’ve designed this guide as a quick reference to the COVID-19 related tax and financial support that might be available to you.

The stimulus and support packages help, but there are gaps and they will not return most adversely impacted businesses or people back to their pre-pandemic position. It will all take time.

On Monday 30th March the Federal Government announced that it will invest $130 billion dollars into trying to support Australian workers with the new Jobkeeper Payment.

Empty restaurants and retail stores were one of the first signs of the devastating impact the coronavirus on Australian businesses.

Within a few months, the virus, now called COVID-19, has gone from being a largely unknown medical condition to one that threatens to impair Australian and global economic growth.