This additional funding will extend the JobSaver program and Micro-business grant and continue rent relief incentives.

Businesses will also be provided with further reductions in payroll tax, as well as allowing eligible businesses to defer payroll tax payments, due from July 2021 through to December 2021, until January 14, 2022, with 12-month interest free repayment plans to be available.

Wagga-based hospitality consultant and licensed broker with GSE Business Consultants Rob Illsley believes the announcement could have been made earlier.

"Government support is late but not too late, it is welcome and will make a difference," Mr Illsley said.

"They didn't move very quickly compared to the last time when they were quite quick to announce support.

"This support often excludes cash businesses so the government messaging is clear that they expect people to do the right thing.

"The government message for businesses that are paying their staff correctly during COVID is that when the chips are down they'll help them."

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Mr Illsley said some cafe owners would need the support more than others.

"Most cafe owners that have a suburban customer base have chosen to stay open and while trade is down, they are coping," he said.

"Those in shopping centres or the lobby of government or private office buildings where people have been sent home are more likely to have closed and will need more rental support.

"There are a whole range of attitudes from landlords but many are very supportive of their tenants.

"While there are a range of attitudes towards COVID, people are still trying to sort their local coffee shops which are a really important part of our way of life and community."

Describing cafe owners as "superstars, Mr Illsley said most food businesses had remained open.

"They do a really important job and are very adaptable," he said.

"COVID will cull the market a bit, but if that gets rid of a few weaker players that drain the resource pool, it may not be an entirely bad thing as the food industry had become a bit saturated in recent times."

This lockdown has had a different effect from the original lockdown last year, according to Mr Illsley.

"The initial lockdown last year saw a lot of people throw their arms up in the air and they closed down and it caused some drama," he said.

"But the ones that stayed open were in a better position to negotiate with their landlords.

"This time is different, while trade has dropped, owners can restrict staff numbers.

"The fact that we still haven't got COVID here is making people a little more confident to go out and support local businesses."

RMB regional manager David Yeates also welcomed the extra funding and said it would give, especially small businesses, confidence to plan for the opening of NSW.

"Retailers and hospitality will have the ability to lift their heads and plan for Christmas trade, even with some restrictions in place," Mr Yeates said.

"The extension of the support packages for businesses will allow small to medium businesses to nurture their cashflow over the next couple of months so they will be able to start to operate at a higher capacity, to make the most after reduction in lockdown laws.

"JobSaver is a great initiative, but we have had some businesses report that staff would rather sit at home and just collect JobSaver, rather than work from home to help keep the wheels turning for their employer."

Committee 4 Wagga chief executive officer Brett Somerville believes business confidence has suffered from the latest lockdown.

He welcomed the additional government support but was concerned about businesses being able to access the payments and grants.

"With the thresholds changing, all businesses need to review their circumstances and see if they are now eligible under the new guidelines," Mr Somerville said.

"Committee for Wagga also calls for more precise guidelines established around the road map to reopen the regions.

"The constant variation and adjusting of rules and variations to thresholds have only exacerbated that confidence.

"We encourage everyone to continue to remain resilient, keep positive and check on those around you."

Mr Somerville said he was pleased to see the response from Wagga Trucks to a recent COVID-19 close contact incident and encouraged all businesses to stay vigilant and review their COVID-safe procedures.

Details: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/2021-covid-19-support-package.

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