14 February 2020
Help on offer for small businesses financially affected by coronavirus
Australian small businesses financially impacted by the spread of the coronavirus are being urged to contact their bank to access assistance on offer which can include deferred loan payments, waiving fees and restructuring loans.
Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh said any small business should not tough it out on their own if they are financially impacted by the effects of the coronavirus.
Anna Bligh, ABA CEO
“Any business financially impacted by the effects of the coronavirus, such as tourism operators, growers and exporters of fresh produce and those reliant on international education should contact their bank to access the assistance on offer.”
“Thousands of businesses have had a horror start to the year with drought, bushfires and floods. Now the coronavirus having a severe impact on both their ability to create products and also export them to markets overseas,” Ms Bligh said.
“Banks have hardship teams in place to walk businesses through the assistance on offer if they have been impacted by events outside of their control.
“Any business financially impacted by the effects of the coronavirus, such as tourism operators, growers and exporters of fresh produce and those reliant on international education should contact their bank to access the assistance on offer,” she said.
The type of assistance offered will depend on individual circumstances, but can include:
- A deferral of scheduled loan repayments
- Waiving fees and charges
- Interest free periods or no interest rate increases
- Debt consolidation to help make repayments more manageable.
Get details of your bank’s hardship team.
ENDS
Contact: Rory Grant 0475 741 007
Latest news
Banks stand ready to support customers in north and north-west Queensland currently experiencing heavy rainfall and flooding. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said customers didn’t have to tough it out on their own with banks on standby to assist communities get through this challenging time. “Banks recognise the significant financial and emotional toll an extreme weather… Read more »
The ABA acknowledges the release of the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The Government’s forecasted $8.4 billion reduction in the deficit over the forward estimates including a $5.4 billion reduction for year’s deficit is welcome. Lower deficits and claimed savings of $20 billion over the next four years is a beginning towards ensuring our national finances are on a more sustainable footing. While this Budget update contains lower forecasts of spending as a share of GDP, the ABA notes the importance of ongoing spending restraint to help reduce inflationary and interest rate pressures. Banks… Read more »
ANZ CEO Nuno Matos has been appointed as the new Chair of the ABA Council, as banks continue their focus on meeting the needs of customers as well as playing a crucial role in the Australian economy. At the ABA’s Annual General Meeting today in Melbourne, ING CEO Melanie Evans was also reappointed as Deputy… Read more »