CONTENTS

BACKGROUND......................................................................................................... 4

SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS, HOUSEHOLDS AND THE COMMUNITY                                                                                                            5

Emergency relief................................................................................................... 5

Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants...................................................................................... 5

Targeted support to people in self-isolation and Government quarantine..................... 5

Emergency accommodation for vulnerable people............................................................... 5

Emergency food relief................................................................................................................... 5

Community transport.................................................................................................................... 6

Housing and homelessness support................................................................ 6

Rent assistance for those suffering extreme hardship......................................................... 6

Private Rental Incentive Scheme................................................................................................ 6

Halt on residential evictions and rent increases.................................................................... 6

Rent relief for social housing tenants....................................................................................... 7

Accommodation for frontline workers...................................................................................... 7

Safe Night Space........................................................................................................................... 7

Under 16 homelessness.............................................................................................................. 7

Uncapped brokerage accommodation..................................................................................... 7

Increased mental health support for homeless clients........................................................ 7

Protecting vulnerable people............................................................................. 7

Family violence............................................................................................................................... 7

Vulnerable children........................................................................................................................ 8

Mental health support......................................................................................... 8

Lifeline.............................................................................................................................................. 9

Rural Alive and Well..................................................................................................................... 9

Migrant Resource Centre.......................................................................................................... 10

Mental Health Council of Tasmania...................................................................................... 10

Assistance with living expenses...................................................................... 11

Capped utility costs..................................................................................................................... 11

Affordable finance for goods and services............................................................................ 11

School levy relief.......................................................................................................................... 11

Fee relief for international students........................................................................................ 11

Support for community organisations and groups.................................... 12

Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCOSS).............................................................. 12

Volunteering Tasmania.............................................................................................................. 12

Neighbourhood Houses............................................................................................................. 12

Men’s Sheds................................................................................................................................. 12

Returned servicemen’s leagues and ex-service organisations.......................................... 12

Sport and Recreation COVID-19 Grants Program............................................................. 12

Essential Technology Fund Grants Program......................................................................... 13

Support for temporary visa holders.............................................................. 13

Emergency relief.......................................................................................................................... 13

Assistance to return to country of citizenship...................................................................... 13

Skilled Employee Assistance Program.................................................................................... 13

Enabling access to information....................................................................... 13

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES AND THE ECONOMY.................................. 15

Fee and tax relief................................................................................................ 15

Government fees and charges................................................................................................. 15

Payroll tax..................................................................................................................................... 15

Land tax........................................................................................................................................ 15

Motor tax and vehicle registration.......................................................................................... 15

Liquor and gaming licences and permits.............................................................................. 16

Taxi licence fees.......................................................................................................................... 16

Rent relief............................................................................................................. 16

Government leases..................................................................................................................... 16

Code of Conduct for commercial tenancies......................................................................... 16

Rebate on rent for early education and care providers.................................................... 17

Support to businesses....................................................................................... 17

Small Business Sustainability and Recovery Assistance Package.................................... 17

Small Business Emergency Support Grants.......................................................................... 17

Small Business Hardship Grants............................................................................................. 17

Small Business Interest Free Loans Scheme........................................................................ 18

Business Continuity Grants....................................................................................................... 18

Digital Ready for Business program....................................................................................... 18

Regional Chambers of Commerce Grant.............................................................................. 18

Utility costs for small businesses............................................................................................. 19

Infrastructure investment................................................................................. 19

Additional social housing dwellings......................................................................................... 19

Expanded HomeShare Program............................................................................................. 19

HomeBuilder Grants.................................................................................................................. 19

Essential services infrastructure............................................................................................... 20

Community infrastructure......................................................................................................... 20

Public building maintenance program................................................................................... 21

Local Government Loans Program.......................................................................................... 21

Roads infrastructure................................................................................................................... 21

Irrigation schemes....................................................................................................................... 21

Trades and Water Centre for Excellence............................................................................. 22

Tasmanian Economic and Social Investment Fund............................................................ 22

Trade development........................................................................................... 22

Interim Trade Action Plan......................................................................................................... 22

Training and skills............................................................................................... 23

Rapid Response Skills Initiative................................................................................................ 23

Train Now Fund.......................................................................................................................... 23

TasTAFE: ‘SKILL UP for your future’ program..................................................................... 23

Skills Fund and Adult Learning Fund...................................................................................... 24

Tourism and hospitality.................................................................................... 24

Cultural and creative industries..................................................................... 24

Arts and Screen Digital Production Fund.............................................................................. 24

Additional Screen Development Fund.................................................................................... 24

Tasmanian Contemporary Music Fund................................................................................. 24

Additional funding to arts organisations................................................................................ 25

Healthcare sector............................................................................................... 25

Primary Healthcare Grants....................................................................................................... 25

Telehealth capacity..................................................................................................................... 25

Seafood industry................................................................................................. 25

Critical air freight for industry and our islands.......................................... 26

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Tasmania, both socially and economically. The Tasmanian Government is committed to supporting the community during this challenging time and has put in place a range of measures to assist businesses and the community.

The Tasmanian Government released two social and economic support packages in response to COVID-19 on 17 and 26 March 2020. The two packages, totaling approximately $1 billion, complement the Australian Government’s multi-billion dollar response, and are of a scale not seen in the history of the State in both the amount of funding and the breadth of measures.

The first package, totalling approximately $420 million, focused on providing immediate relief and assistance to individuals, households and businesses.

The second package, totalling approximately $565 million, included more economic and social support measures targeted at the health system, businesses and jobs; households and individuals; and community organisations.

Infrastructure projects will be an important part of recovery activities in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government intends to bring forward projects as well as identifying new project opportunities to assist in rebuilding the economy and support jobs.

On 4 June 2020, the Government announced its infrastructure investment package to reboot the Tasmanian economy and support approximately 15,000 jobs. The package builds on the Government’s current infrastructure package of $1.8 billion over the next two years, and in total will support an estimated construction value of $3.1 billion across the next two years.

On 14 July 2020, the Government announced an Interim Trade Action Plan, supported by an additional $2.65 million, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic trade disruption. The Plan provides specific trade initiatives to address the immediate needs for exporters over the next six months.

This document provides a progress update on the implementation of the social and economic support measures.

SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS, HOUSEHOLDS AND THE COMMUNITY

Emergency relief

Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants

The Tasmanian Government is providing financial assistance to low-income individuals and families who are required by Public Health to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk. A one-off payment is available to those eligible ($250 per adult, $125 per child, with a maximum of $1,000 per household).

As at 26 July 2020, 295 emergency assistance grants had been paid to Tasmanians.

Targeted support to people in self-isolation and Government quarantine

The Government has funded community sector organisations such as The Salvation Army, Rural Business Tasmania and the Australian Red Cross to provide food hampers, financial counselling, and psychosocial support to people in self-isolation.

Red Cross has also provided wellbeing checks and psychosocial support to those in government quarantine, and are offering this service to those who are now self-isolating at home. The Salvation Army has been providing food parcels to those in self isolation, and those arriving at airports and the TT Line terminal. Rural Business Tasmania is supporting rural communities with essential items.

As at 23 July 2020, 14,095 wellbeing calls and 417 referrals had been made by the Red Cross and The Salvation Army had delivered over 150 hampers and essential items as a result of referral from the Tasmanian Government.

Emergency accommodation for vulnerable people

The Government is providing emergency accommodation to vulnerable individuals and families on low incomes who are required by Public Health to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk, but who are unable to stay at their regular place of residence or are homeless.

As at 1 July 2020, 80 people have been provided with emergency accommodation.

Emergency food relief

Under the Local Emergency Food Relief COVID-19 Grants Program, funding of up to $10,000 was made available to eligible organisations to deliver emergency food relief to Tasmanians in need in their local community. This Grants Program will enable them to deliver much-needed support to local communities, while operating within the current restrictions. Grants were available in two categories: Category 1 for organisations which provide low-cost ready-to-eat meals following current restrictions; and Category 2 for organisations which have new or changed food hamper services as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

A total of 39 applications requesting $321,104 were received by the closing date of 31 May 2020. On 26 June 2020, it was announced that 28 applications would receive a total of $211,035. As at 31 July 2020, 26 grant agreements had been executed, with funding paid to 23 organisations to date (totalling $175,682).

The Tasmanian Government has also partnered with a network of emergency food relief providers:

• $130,000 has been paid to Volunteering Tasmania to rapidly recruit and deploy volunteers, develop COVID-19 resources for volunteer organisations and work with local councils to co-design a community volunteer response to COVID-19. As at 24 July 2020, Volunteering Tasmania had increased the numbers of individuals registered in their EV-CREW database from 1,242 to 2,451 individuals, and deployed 140 individuals to volunteering organisations.
• $144,000 has been paid to Hamlet to provide ready to eat meals to Hobart City Mission and Safe Night Space. In the month of June 2020, Hamlet provided 1,200 meals.
• $156,000 has been paid to Loaves and Fishes to increase production of hampers and ready to eat meals. During July 2020, Loaves and Fishes delivered 479 hampers, 12,020 ready to eat meals, and 78,754 kgs of stable and fresh items.
• $100,000 has been paid to Waterbridge Food Company to increase production and distribution of meals and vegetable boxes to the Bridgewater community. In the month of July 2020, Waterbridge provided 70 meals and 38 vegetable boxes.
• $198,873 has been provided to the Meals on Wheels Association of Tasmania to allow it to upscale business operations to respond to the increased demand as a result of COVID-19. This includes meal production and storage, workforce, transportation, client services and business continuity measures.
• An additional $51,127 has been provided to the Australian Red Cross Society to ensure older people and younger people have access to nutritious meals and are able to continue living independently in their own home and community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• $100,000 has been provided to increase FoodBank’s supplies and deliveries to those in need. In the month to 27 July 2020, Foodbank had delivered 2,138 hampers and 80,600 kilograms of fresh and staple items.

Community transport

The Government has provided $260,000 to Community Transport Services Tasmania (CTST) to enable the organisation to maintain and increase essential transport services during the COVID-19 pandemic. CTST has reported 1,844 additional trips related to COVID-19 between April-June 2020.

Housing and homelessness support

Rent assistance for those suffering extreme hardship

Targeted support of up to $2,000 or four weeks rent is available for tenants covered by the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 who are suffering from extreme hardship. Assistance is available to tenants experiencing COVID‑19 related hardship and are in rental stress, that is, they are paying more than 30 per cent of their income in rent and have less than $5,000 in savings.

As at 31 July 2020:

• The Government has received applications for 1050 individuals across 861 properties;
• 414 applications for 613 individual tenants have progressed for final assessment; and
• 431 individuals been approved and paid so far at a cost of just over $341,000.

Private Rental Incentive Scheme

The Government has increased funding to the Private Rental Incentive Scheme to increase the pool of available houses under the Scheme. This will assist in meeting the needs of those on the housing register. The additional $2 million will allow a further 75 properties to be provided under the Scheme.

As at 31 July 2020, a further 14 properties were secured and five households assisted. This is part of a broader target for the Private Rental Incentives program of 200 households to be assisted overall by 31 December 2020.

Halt on residential evictions and rent increases

The Residential Tenancy Act 1997 was amended for an ‘emergency period’ to put in place a halt on residential evictions and rent increases until 30 September 2020.

Rent relief for social housing tenants

The Government has not increased rent for social housing tenants and will not count Australian and Tasmanian Governments’ emergency payments as income for the purposes of calculating rent contributions. This will provide around 11,500 households across Tasmania in social housing with more money in their hands during these difficult times, at a cost of around $6.7 million to the Government.

Accommodation for frontline workers

Emergency hotel accommodation is available for frontline workers who directly deliver essential health, welfare and biosecurity services if they need to stay away from home. There were 40 occasions of service provided to frontline workers with a total expenditure as at 31 July 2020 of $23,195.

Safe Night Space

The Government committed $2.62 million to expand the current Safe Night Space pilot, which currently provides a safe, overnight place for those sleeping rough in Hobart. The program has been extended to cover Launceston and Burnie as well as Hobart, and from an overnight service into a 24/7 full wrap around support service. In the month of July 2020:

• The Hobart Safe Space provided 515 bed nights for 60 individuals and 1,162 day time contacts for 96 individuals;
• The Safe Space in Launceston provided 143 bed nights and 543 day time contacts.
• The Safe Space in Burnie commenced in late July 2020 and information on its progress will be included in next month’s report.

Under 16 homelessness

The Government committed $502,000 to support young people who are under 16 and at risk of homelessness by increasing capacity to deliver services. To support the delivery of this an Under-16 Homelessness Working Group has been established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the U/16 Homelessness Taskforce. The Working Group comprises government and non-government representatives and held its first meeting on 24 June 2020. The Working Group has an initial focus on policy development and protocols.

Uncapped brokerage accommodation

An additional $300,000 has been allocated to uncapped brokerage to assist Housing Connect’s capacity to provide statewide emergency accommodation for homeless people to self-isolate in hotels, motels and caravan parks.

Increased mental health support for homeless clients

An additional $826,000 has been allocated for increased mental health and wrap around support services for homeless clients of Housing Connect and shelters during the emergency period. Dedicated referrals between Housing Connect and health screening/mental health care is considered a very positive step towards long term broader service integration.

As at 31 July 2020, the Mental Health Homeless Outreach Support Team had commenced operations and 31 referrals for health screening had been received from Housing Connect.

Protecting vulnerable people

Family violence

Safe at Home is the Tasmanian Government’s integrated criminal justice response to family violence. It involves a range of services working together to protect and support victims of family violence, including young people and children, while making offenders responsible for their behaviour.

The Government has provided $1.92 million across Safe at Home services, including:

• increased staffing for the Court Support and Liaison Service to support survivors navigate and engage in the court process thereby holding offenders accountable;
• continuation of a dedicated Safe at Home Legal Practitioner in the North-West of Tasmania to support and advise survivors of family violence;
• increased capacity for the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service to deliver the extended hours service; increased staffing of the Adult Program to proactively engage with victim-survivors of family violence and enhance their safety; and continuation of increased staffing for the Children and Young Persons’ Program to support children to recover from family violence;
• increased resources for the Magistrates Court to support the efficient progress of family violence matters through the criminal justice system and engagement with Safe at Home;
• additional specialist Safe at Home Police Prosecution in the South and North-West to support the criminal justice process; and
• increased capacity for the Safe at Home Coordination Unit to increase the efficiency of Safe at Home.

The Rapid Rehousing program is an existing Government policy under the Affordable Housing Action Plan and the Safe Homes, Families, Communities: Tasmania’s action plan for family and sexual violence 2019-2022. As at 31 July 2020, eight properties had been secured and four households had been assisted into Family Violence Rapid Rehousing funded under COVID-19, with $17,000 expended.

Flexible Support Packages (FSPs) were launched on 27 April 2020 and as of 31 July 2020, 53 applications totalling $119,425 have been approved across the State. FSPs provide up to $6,000 to victim-survivors of family violence to purchase basic items such as food or clothing, to pay utilities or phone bills, to cover medical or pharmaceutical costs, for relocation costs, furnishings and whitegoods or emergency accommodation.

Community-based specialist family violence support services received funding to increase their operational capacity and respond to increased demand for services. A total of $310,000 ($62,000 per service) was provided to Yemaya Women’s Support Service, Engender Equality, Huon Domestic Violence, Anglicare (Relationship Abuse of an Intimate Nature) and Safe Choices.

The new Safe from Violence website (www.safefromviolence.tas.gov.au) was launched on 16 June 2020, to provide a central portal of information and links to support services for those impacted by family and sexual violence, and/or seeking support for themselves or others. The website includes a suite of resources developed to support those impacted by family and sexual violence during the COVID-19 pandemic including posters, postcards and fact sheets. $100,000 was allocated to support primary prevention and awareness raising efforts that communicate COVID-19 does not cause, justify or excuse family and sexual violence and to promote specialist services available to provide support.

Vulnerable children

As at 31 July 2020:

• $255,740 has been paid to foster and formal kinship carers to support cleaning and hygiene measures. All Tasmanian foster, kinship and third-party guardianship carers received a one-off payment, of $200 per child in their care, to assist in the purchase of cleaning and hygiene products to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus.
• $70,000 has been allocated to Foster and Kinship Carers Tasmania (FKAT) to liaise with Kin Raising Kids Tasmania to develop and support advocacy and training services to informal kinship carers and improve FKAT's service of support and assistance to informal kinship carers.
• $130,000 has been allocated for review and implementation of an informal kinship care liaison and support function. Terms of reference are being finalised for this project.
• The ICT Fund had received 73 applications and 71 were approved at a total cost of $67,920. The majority of the applications have requested laptops or iPads.
• The Carer Support Hotline and the After Hours Response Service has been extended. Current demand for after-hours support is being monitored to ensure an appropriate response can be provided when required.
• Seventeen applications were received for the Flexible Active Families Fund. Thirteen applications have been approved totalling $3,250. Remaining funds have been held over for other COVID-19 related needs.
• A funding agreement for enhanced engagement and advocacy for children in care has been executed with CREATE for 1 July 2020 ‑ 31 December 2020 and service delivery has commenced. The purpose of the funding is to provide enhanced engagement and advocacy for children and young people in foster care, kinship care and residential care. CREATE has used this funding to develop webinars for young people to discuss topics of concern and the development of a consultation report capturing young people’s experiences of COVID-19.
• The Department of Education, partnering with the Department of Communities Tasmania, is providing students who do not have access to a computer or internet access with a computer and sim card/internet dongle.

Mental health support

Lifeline

The Government committed $875,000 to establish a dedicated 1800 phone number to allow Tasmanians to call and receive specific support regarding the impact of COVID-19, as well as a proactive call out service to reach out to at-risk communities and industries.

The new Lifeline Service (1800 98 44 34 – A Tasmanian Lifeline) commenced on 1 May 2020. The service provides wellbeing support for Tasmanians, many of whom would not have previously sought support and who are experiencing psychological distress during the pandemic. The service continues to see increases in the call volume, particularly for those who are experiencing social isolation and loss. Loss is experienced in many forms including job loss, loss of normality, loss of contact with loved ones and loss of plans and hopes.

The end of the second month of operations has seen the calls increase to over 250 calls. Women continue to be the main users of the service (nearly 70 percent of all calls).

Older Tasmanians are still the most likely to make a call, and increasingly there is a trend for the older demographic to be located in regions outside of Hobart, Burnie and Launceston. The smallest group of users, aged 18-25, are more likely to be living in inner city areas of Launceston and Hobart.

Rural Alive and Well

$240,000 has been provided to Rural Alive and Well (RAW) to increase capacity to provide mental health advice, support and referral for vulnerable Tasmanians living in rural areas during the pandemic.

RAW has increased its workforce by two full time staff members, one based on the North West Coast and the other in the Central and Southern Highlands. RAW has had 1,657 interactions with clients across Tasmania in the period between 1 April and 15 July 2020, compared to 1,131 interactions for the same period last year.

RAW staff have been actively engaging with communities to provide assertive outreach and to ensure that RAW is highly visible, approachable and accessible for those that require its support that otherwise would fall through the gaps and potentially become a suicide statistic because they didn’t know where to go for help.

Migrant Resource Centre

$120,000 has been provided to the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) to provide targeted support to Tasmania’s migrant community during the pandemic.

The Cultural Community Connections (CCC) Program, delivered in collaboration with the Phoenix Centre and MRC, has produced a number of mental health resources (‘Be Kind to your Mind,’ ‘Staying Emotionally Healthy at Home’ and ‘Parenting in Uncertain Times’), which have been translated into 12 languages.

The CCC Program also arranged consultation sessions and training for MRC bi-cultural staff around the impact of COVID-19 on their communities, and provided them with resources to assist them in directing community members to appropriate linkages and support, such as A Tasmanian Lifeline and the Phoenix Centre.

In reponse to consultation with community groups, leaders and influencers on the issues their commuities are facing, the CCC Program has initiated:

• The development of targeted resources for parents with children, after it was identified that parents with children were finding the restrictions of COVID-19 challenging.
• Information sessions on employment options for migrants, as this has been a key area of increased and urgent need.
• Continual updating of the MRC Tas website as a key location for CALD communities to find up to date information (in language) on COVID-19 Government directions. This information has also been provided to MRC Tas community influencers/leaders to share amongst their communities.
• Consultation with MRC Tas community influencers on identified strengths within their community – highlighting the importance of these protective factors during uncertain times.
• The provision of wellbeing packs (delivered to people’s homes), where it was identified that isolation was extreme, increasing the risk of deteriorating mental health.
• Information sessions to provide people with employment concerns targeted support, including resume support and job opportunities.
• The provision of information sessions to vulnerable community members on areas of concern including housing, migration, and volunteering to increase their employment skills.
• The development of wellbeing messages for individuals and communities in Tasmania, as well as making these resources available via social media for individuals to be able to share with family members in country of origin.
• The development of Living with Worry and Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty (Psychology Tools, 2020) into a booklet in 10 languages to provide additional psychosocial education to communities in need.
• The provision of mindfulness and emotional regulation activities and strategies for CALD individuals via group work, MRC Tas (Phoenix Centre) website and in individual sessions.

Mental Health Council of Tasmania

$450,000 has been provided to the Mental Health Council of Tasmania to support Community Managed Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Providers that are funded by the Tasmanian Department of Health or Primary Health Tasmania to use technology to adapt to alternate methods of delivery for existing services.

A grant process was run by the Mental Health Council during April 2020 with 52 organisational applications received, of which 36 were successful. Common technology items purchased included laptops and iPads (for staff and clients), videoconferencing hardware, mobile data (for staff and clients) and telehealth or videoconferencing software.

In evaluating the technology fund:

• 83 per cent of organisations indicated the technology fund addressed the need they had to a great or very great extent in order to continue service delivery.
• 70 per cent said the contribution of the technology fund in ensuring ongoing service delivery was great or very great.
• 95 per cent of organisations plan to continue to utilise service delivery methods adopted during the pandemic as a result of capabilities established or enhanced with the technology fund.

Assistance with living expenses

Capped utility costs

In order to assist households and businesses on regulated electricity tariffs, the Government committed to cap regulated electricity prices for 2020-21 to ensure that they do not increase over 2019-20 prices. Regulated electricity prices fell by 1.38 per cent from 1 July 2020.

Affordable finance for goods and services

The Government has provided $1 million to the No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) to support low income families to obtain affordable finance for goods and services. The Government investment has enabled NILS to respond to the urgent need for vulnerable families to purchase technology to enable online learning for their children. NILS Tasmania and its 66 community organisation partners, such as Neighbourhood Houses, The Salvation Army and City Mission, have worked hard to quickly adapt to enabling loan applications via the phone rather than face to face due to lockdown restrictions so that no one missed out at this important time.

As at 30 June 2020, $500,000 had been provided to NILs During the April-June quarter. NILs reported an increase in loan output by 19.5% compared to the 2018-19 average, despite the need for delivery partners to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions such as phone interviews and process on-line purchases.

School levy relief

On 26 March 2020, the Tasmanian Government announced school levy relief for all parents/carers in Tasmanian Government Schools. The School Levy Relief for 2020 provides total relief to the school community of approximately $14 million.

As at 31 July 2020, the Government had refunded approximately $9 million to parents through the School Levy Relief. This has supported approximately 21,000 parents.

A further decision was made in June to waive individual historical debts totalling approximately $2.8 million, to further support families in resetting their financial plans during the recovery phase.

Fee relief for international students

The Department of Education has also foregone an estimated $288,000 in revenue to provide a COVID-19 Fee Relief Program for Temporary Residents, introduced to offer financial support for migrant families who are experiencing hardship.

The Fee Relief Program provides fee paying Temporary Residents with a 25 per cent discount on their Term 2 and Term 3 tuition fees.

In addition, 36 requests have been received for further financial support including payment pauses and fee waivers. $250,000 has been allocated to support current and future requests.

To support additional costs associated with hosting international students, additional payments of $150 per international student were paid to host families. Approximately 150 payments have been made, totalling $22,500.