1Short titleThis regulation may be cited as the Rural and Regional Adjustment (Further Variation of COVID-19 Business Support Grants Scheme (August 2021)) Amendment Regulation (No. 2) 2021.2CommencementThis regulation commences on 14 October 2021.3Regulation amendedThis regulation amends the Rural and Regional Adjustment Regulation 2011.4Replacement of sch 37, s 1 (Objective of scheme)Schedule 37, section 1—omit, insert—1Objectives of schemeThe objectives of the scheme are—

(a)to provide assistance to small and medium-sized businesses and non-profit organisations, and large tourism and hospitality businesses and non-profit organisations, that—

(i)have been affected by a lock down event; or

(ii)were trading in the border area on 31 July 2021 and have been affected by a border closure event; and

(b)if border closure events have been in effect throughout the ongoing hardship eligibility period—to provide additional assistance to businesses and non-profit organisations for which an applicant has received, or is eligible to receive, an initial grant and that—

(i)were trading in the border area on both 31 July 2021 and 14 October 2021; and

(ii)have been affected by the border closure events throughout the ongoing hardship eligibility period.

5Amendment of sch 37, s 2 (Purpose of assistance)(1)Schedule 37, section 2, heading, ‘Purpose’—omit, insert—Purposes(2)Schedule 37, section 2(1)—omit, insert—(1)The purposes of assistance under the scheme are—

(a)to provide relief and support—

(i)for eligible entities in relation to a lock down event; and

(ii)for eligible entities that were trading in the border area on 31 July 2021 and have been affected by a border closure event; and

(b)if border closure events have been in effect throughout the ongoing hardship eligibility period—to provide additional relief and support for eligible entities for which an applicant has received, or is eligible to receive, an initial grant and that—

(i)were trading in the border area on both 31 July 2021 and 14 October 2021; and

(ii)have been affected by the border closure events throughout the ongoing hardship eligibility period.

6Amendment of sch 37, s 3 (Definitions for schedule)Schedule 37, section 3—insert—initial grant see section 7(2).ongoing hardship grant see section 7(2A).ongoing hardship eligibility period means the period starting on 14 August 2021 and ending on 14 October 2021.7Amendment of sch 37, s 7 (Nature and amount of assistance)(1)Schedule 37, section 7(2), from ‘The’ to ‘scheme is’—omit, insert—For an applicant who is eligible to receive assistance under the scheme for an eligible entity under section 8, a grant of financial assistance (an initial grant) is payable under the scheme in the amount of(2)Schedule 37, section 7—insert—(2A)Also, for an applicant who is eligible to receive assistance under the scheme for an eligible entity under section 8A, an additional grant of financial assistance (an ongoing hardship grant) in the amount of $5,000 is payable under the scheme.8Amendment of sch 37, s 8 (Eligibility criteria)(1)Schedule 37, section 8, heading, after ‘criteria’—insert—for initial grant(2)Schedule 37, section 8(1), ‘assistance’—omit, insert—an initial grant(3)Schedule 37, section 8(4)—omit, insert—(4)However, an applicant is not eligible to receive an initial grant for an eligible entity for which the applicant or any other person has received an initial grant in relation to the same, or any other, lock down event or border closure event.9Insertion of new sch 37, s 8ASchedule 37, after section 8—insert—8AEligibility criteria for ongoing hardship grant(1)For an applicant to be eligible to receive an ongoing hardship grant for an eligible entity—

(a)the applicant must have received, or be eligible to receive, an initial grant for the eligible entity; and

(b)border closure events must have been in effect throughout the ongoing hardship eligibility period; and

(c)the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the authority that the eligible entity—

(i)was trading in the border area on both 31 July 2021 and 14 October 2021; and

(ii)has been affected by the border closure events throughout the ongoing hardship eligibility period.

(2)However, an applicant is not eligible to receive an ongoing hardship grant for an eligible entity for which the applicant or any other person has already received an ongoing hardship grant.