The Victorian Government has announced a $200 million stimulus package to support businesses and entice Victorians back to enjoy their favourite food and hospitality experiences across Victoria. The package will be rolled out from March 2022.

The package includes:

State-wide Dining Vouchers: A new $30 million State-wide Dining Vouchers program will be introduced to cover all of Victoria. It will reimburse 25 per cent of dining costs for meals in regional Victoria and metropolitan Local Government Areas outside the Melbourne CBD from Monday to Thursday when spending between $40 to $500.

This program is expected to open on 29 March 2022.

Entertainment Voucher Scheme: A new $30 million Entertainment Voucher Scheme will reimburse part of eligible entertainment costs.

Discounts will be for tickets to:

the cinema
theatrical productions
live music
exhibitions
conferences
other events.

This program is expected to open on 29 March 2022.

Regional and Metropolitan Travel Voucher Scheme: Access a $200 voucher when you spend at least $400 on eligible tourism and travel related services.

$30 million has been set aside to expand the successful Regional and Metropolitan Travel Voucher Scheme, encouraging more Victorians to spend at tourism, attractions and events businesses.

This program will open on 23 March 2022 for travel between 8 April and 27 May.

Ventilation Voucher Program: $500 to support businesses buying air purifiers, ventilators and other COVIDSafe maintenance, giving them confidence their business is COVIDSafe

$60 million will be invested to offer up to $5,000 for matched grants to eligible small businesses to improve ventilation to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
This could include investing in:

equipment
building works
maintenance services.

The $500 vouchers program will open in mid-March 2022. The $5,000 matched grants will open late March 2022.

Small Business Digital Adaptation Program: A $1,200 rebate to access a range of digital business tools to help modernise business operations.

These could include:

online menus and ordering systems
invoicing
stock and business management tools
website and e-commerce platforms.

The third round of the program will offer a further $5 million.

This program will open on 28 March 2022.

Business Recovery and Resilience Mentoring Program: Access to mentoring of up to four, two-hour sessions to help navigate the challenges of COVID-19 and support owners and staff. Delivered with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, over 11,000 mentoring sessions have been held with more than 5,500 businesses to date. Previous mentees have had a high satisfaction rate.

Apply for the mentoring.

Jobs Victoria Fund: Connecting 1,500 Victorians looking for work with businesses looking for workers across hospitality, warehousing and logistics, tourism and food processing – helping cover workforce shortages and giving unemployed Victorians secure job opportunities. $34.2 million of existing funds from the Jobs Victoria Fund will be used in this immediate response to support workforce shortages in these sectors. All jobseekers taking up these placements will have access to Jobs Victoria employment services, including mentor and careers counselling services.

This program will open from April 2022.