The Australian states of Tasmania and Victoria have announced funding to support the recovery of local, small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tasmanian Minister for State Growth Roger Jaensch announced on Jan. 28 that more funding will be made available to the state’s COVID-19 Business Impact Support Program for small businesses. The program, which opened on Jan. 19, provides funding to help Tasmanian small businesses that have seen a reduction in business due to the COVID-19 Omicron outbreak since Dec. 15. Funding of between $1,000 and $5,000 is available to eligible businesses where a reduction in business may be caused by a loss of staff due to COVID-19 exposure, which has affected the business’s ability to operate, or a loss of business, due to reduced customer demand. Support is also available to businesses that have experienced an inevitable loss of perishable goods. Jaensch stated that so far, more than …