Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien is encouraging Wide Bay businesses affected by COVID-19 to access free and confidential financial counselling, funded through the Australian Government.

“The Morrison Government has committed more than $4.7 million to Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS), which is a key step forward to help regional Australia’s businesses recover economically from the pandemic,” Mr O’Brien said.

The funding will help eligible small businesses access the immediate advice and assistance they need to keep afloat and navigate the road to recovery.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our regional communities in Wide Bay and across Australia, and we know that many are struggling through drought and trying to recover from last summer’s devastating bushfires,” Mr O’Brien said.

“This financial counselling service is designed to ensure businesses remain resilient through the COVID-19 downturn and are able to rebound when their normal trading conditions resume.

“The service will also create jobs for financial counsellors and support workers to help small businesses, and builds on previously announced support including packages for regional aviation and air freight, export industries, the arts industry and tourism businesses.”

The RFCS funding is in addition to the $7 million already provided for small business financial counselling services in drought-affected communities, and is part of the Government’s $1 billion Relief and Recovery Fund, which is delivering targeted assistance to regions, communities and industry sectors that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

More information on the fund is available at https://www.regional.gov.au/regional/programs/covid-19-relief-and-recovery-fund.aspx