The South Australian Business Chamber welcomes the announcement by the South Australian Valuer General regarding the delay in further implementation of the Revaluation Initiative. Recently, the South Australian Business Chamber advocated for a hold on further implementation of the Revaluation Initiative due to significant pressures many businesses are facing as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. While the annual revaluation will continue as usual, updated property values from the latest instalment of the Initiative will not be implemented in 2020 to 2021. This is a welcome relief for many property owners with concerns on how the Revaluation Initiative may impact their statutory property values next financial year.
The last thing businesses need is further uncertainty about cost increases from Land Tax, Council Rates or SA Water charges, with this decision alleviating many of these concerns. The South Australian Business Chamber commends the Valuer General for considering the broader context numerous businesses are facing during this crisis, with this decision mitigating additional stress for local business owners.
For more information on the announcement, click here
Another organisation working to mitigate stress for business owners that are struggling include AGL Energy, which is launching a COVID-19 Customer Support Program to aid customers undergoing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic.
Company CEO, Brett Redman, said the program was launched to provide immediate relief for residential customers and SME’s unable to pay their energy bills due to job loss, business shut down or health complications related to COVID-19.
The program will allow for deferred payments while suspending disconnections until 31 July 2020 for all eligible customers. These customers will also gain access to a payment plan where payment can be made in instalments. Similarly, small businesses that were forced to shut down temporarily will have their disconnection and reconnection fees waived. Importantly, AGL Energy will maintain their existing priority service to customers on life support.
Existing AGL Energy customers can apply for the support program online at agl.com.au/coronavirus or by contacting the company’s call centre on 13 12 45. Customers can also get assistance 24 hours a day via the company’s website or by downloading the AGL Energy app available on the App Store and Google Play.
Additionally, Energy Networks Australia has announced an electricity and gas network relief package taking effect from 1 April 2020.
The launch of the package is intended to provide much needed relief to residential customers and small businesses with snowballing electricity and gas charges.
As part of the relief package, such charges will not be applied from the beginning of April 2020 through to the end of June 2020 if energy consumption is less than 25 per cent of the equivalent of April 2019 through to June 2019.
This can result in energy bill savings of up to 35 per cent to 45 per cent for local businesses hit the hardest for the relevant quarters.
For more information on the relief package, click here
