TANIA Maxwell (MLC, Northern Victoria) has tabled a question in parliament asking the government to detail what practical assistance it will provide for the snow industry in the North East.
The summer bushfires and months of exposure to smoke, drove tourism down in the Alpine regions early in 2020.
The coronavirus pandemic has also collapsed the patronage for businesses in the regions, dependent on a bumper snow season.
“The snow industry is a major employer and supports tourism, retail and hospitality," said Ms Maxwell.
“We need to help these businesses stay afloat so they survive past the pandemic.”
Ms Maxwell said the near-universal lack of financial support available to the industry from all levels of government, including widespread ineligibility for the federal JobKeeper program, is exacerbating the stress for tourism operators.
Accommodation providers had access to a capped refund scheme, but many operators had reported this was a ‘drop in the ocean compared to the losses they had endured’.
Traditionally the snow industry is a major employer of full time and casual employees, on both the snowfields and extending to other tourism, hospitality and retail businesses.
Ms Maxwell said she has been speaking with a host of tourism related businesses across the Alpine regions who have reported an urgent need of assistance.
