Ms ADDISON (Wendouree): My question is directed to the Minister for Employment and Minister for Small Business in the other place and is about business support for local businesses in my electorate of Wendouree.

I wish to thank the minister for her support of Ballarat businesses that have had their livelihoods impacted by the ongoing restrictions of the COVID pandemic and the tireless work she is doing to enable businesses to recover as our economy reopens in a careful, cautious and COVID-safe way.

My question is: how many Ballarat businesses have received payments, grants and/or other refunds, waivers and deferrals from the Victorian government to support them to date, and what further support is available from the Victorian government to help Ballarat businesses prepare and thrive in a ‘COVID-normal’ economy?

Read the Minister’s response here – or for more of my contributions in Parliament, click here.