Businesses forced to battle devastating floods across regional Victoria can still access promised assistance after the state government rejected concerns about a grants program.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said funds for flood-affected businesses were still available, after Greens MP Ellen Sandell in March questioned the availability of a $200,000 medium-to-large business grant announced alongside the federal government in November.
"What I want to assure all business owners is that our flood recovery programs, and importantly those business recovery grants, remain open," Ms Thomas told reporters on Tuesday.
"The Business Victoria hotline is open and our dedicated flood recovery advisers are on the ground ready to support business owners."
Opposition finance spokeswoman Jess Wilson said timely flood support payments were crucial to affected business owners.
"This is incredibly important that these payments are made on time, small business cashflow relies on these payments being made on time and so that they can continue operating their business," Ms Wilson told reporters.
State Nationals leader Peter Walsh, whose electorate contains several northern Victorian towns forced to evacuate during the 2022 floods, questioned whether the grants even existed.
"This is another example of Victorian Labor ignoring the business sector," he said in a statement.
"It appears no one in government actually knows how businesses can apply for these grants if they even exist at all."
The Business Victoria website offers information on a $50,000 grant that was announced in tandem with the $200,000 grant, but does not mention the latter or its eligibility requirements.
The website also lists a program for concessional loans of up to $250,000 for flood-affected small businesses and not-for-profit organisations along with a business relief consultation service.
Under the joint Australian government-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, the Commonwealth may fund up to 75 per cent of assistance to disaster-affected communities and individuals, but eligibility is determined by state and territory agencies, which also deliver the support.
"The grants remain open and I understand that Business Victoria will be reaching out directly to those who have grants underway or who have expressed concern about the availability of grants," Ms Thomas said.
"The floods in northern Victoria and particularly for the community of Rochester were absolutely devastating."
Ms Thomas said the government was contacting communities and working with local government to meet the needs of flood-affected Victoria.
