MEDIA RELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

7 January 2022

Brock calls for another round of Great State Voucher Scheme – with a separate allocation to the regions

The last round of the successful Great State voucher scheme in September last year saved the tourism and hospitality industry from some of the worst impacts of the pandemic and Member for Frome Geoff Brock is calling for it to be run again.

“But this time with a separate allocation specific to the State’s regional areas,” he said.

“I have written to the Premier asking for consideration of another round of the scheme to help vulnerable businesses in this sector get through the latest impacts of the pandemic.”

The scheme has already brought an estimated economic impact of more than $90 million to South Australia’s ailing tourism industry and Mr Brock supports a call from the South Australian Hoteliers Association to open another round of vouchers.

“This kind of injection can not come at a more needed time,” he said.

“Businesses all over the State are suffering due to the restrictions placed upon them and the forced closures if they become exposure sites, and any kind of financial assistance is going to help them stay in business.”

In the previous rounds, vouchers were valued at $100 to be spent at eligible businesses in the Adelaide CBD and North Adelaide sector, with $50 to be spent, per voucher, in the suburbs and regional areas.

“At all times, both the metropolitan suburbs and regions were competing against each other, which made it more difficult for regional businesses to be advantaged by the scheme.”

Mr Brock has asked the Premier to revisit the voucher scheme and consider thanking the hard-working regional areas by issuing a separate allocation specific to residents and businesses.

ENDS