COVID-19 response

Justice Connect has created a range of initiatives to respond to COVID-19 issues. We’re providing legal help to people and community organisations affected by the pandemic. 

We have free resources and webinars on issues not-for-profits are facing, including managing contractual obligations, holding meetings and navigating employment challenges.

If these don’t answer your specific question, please contact us.

June 2020 We have updated our briefing note on some of the most pressing issues COVID-19 poses for not-for-profits, including employment, contracts and insurance. With thanks to Clayton Utz for assistance with this update. 

Our Community has launched a campaign 'save our sector', giving the not-for-profit sector access to their library of capacity building resources to help organisations stay afloat until we get to the other side of COVID-19. You can access their list of trusted sources to help not-for-profits with COVID-19 here.

Government support

The Federal Government's economic response to COVID-19. 

21 July 2020 - the Government announced it is extending the JobKeeper Payment until 28 March 2021. It is targeting support to those businesses including not-for-profits who continue to be significantly impacted by COVID-19. A pdf version of a summary of JobKeeper changes is published below.

8 April 2020 - the Australian Parliament passed the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Bill. This law provides for the JobKeeper payment. Charities registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) will be eligible for the payment if they estimate their turnover has fallen or will likely fall by 15 per cent or more relative to a comparable period. 

The JobKeeper payment is administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). View the full list of COVID-19 support measures on the ATO website. The ATO has also published a list of FAQs for taxpayers and launched a new webpage to support not-for-profits during the pandemic. 

Alternative tests for fall in turnover for classes of entities where there is not an appropriate relevant comparison period have been approved. Read the ATO's note on this here. 

The ATO published a fact sheet that answers the question 'Can charities disregard NDIS payments received?'. You can download the pdf version of the fact sheet below.

Refer to the Treasury website to keep up to date with news about the JobKeeper payment scheme. 

State and territory governments have also announced economic responses to COVID-19:

Victoria - Responding to COVID-19, dealing with rent in response to COVID-19, COVID-19 and your rights, Victorian government business support fund

Volunteers in Victoria - eligible volunteers in Victoria have access to the COVID-19 Worker Support Payment. This is a one-off $1,500 payment to financially support Victorian workers who have been instructed to self-isolate or quarantine at home because they have either been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case. For more information, see our news item. 

South Australia - COVID-19 business information and support, rental advice

Western Australia - Department of the premier and cabinet COVID-19 community advice, COVID-19 consumer protection

Northern Territory - COVID-19 business support

Queensland - COVID-19 business support, support for landlords and tenants

New South Wales - COVID-19 business support, property moratorium 

Tasmania - Responding to COVID-19, emergency business support packages, commercial tenants affected by COVID-19 emergency

Financial advisor Grant Thornton has also published commentary on government economic measures in response to COVID-19. Their post on the JobKeeper subsidy covers how to determine turnover for JobKeeper purposes. 

Social Ventures Australia has published a guide on COVID-19 government support to charities and not-for-profits (as at 22 April 2020)

Our other resources

We have many other free resources that will be relevant to you. Access our complete library of resources on these subjects here: 

• Running the organisation
• The people involved
• Seeking funds and holding events
• Important agreements
• Insurance and risk