24 March 2026
Cleeland calls for urgent support for fire-impacted businesses
The Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland MP has called on the Allan Labor Government to urgently support regional pubs, clubs and small businesses impacted by the Longwood bushfire, including exempting venues from liquor licensing fees and delivering targeted business grants and concessional loans.
Following an analysis of support packages offered to other disaster-affected regions, Ms Cleeland said the region had been short-changed.
“Where other communities have received meaningful business support to help them recover, our region has been left behind,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Labor are penny-pinching instead of backing our tourism operators and small businesses when they need it most.”
Ms Cleeland said the true impact of the Longwood bushfire extended far beyond the fire ground.
“Businesses in Seymour, Euroa, Avenel and Longwood weren’t just dealing with the threat of fire. They were hit with road closures, prolonged power outages, and constant emergency warnings telling people not to travel into our region,” she said.
“We lost critical trade over the Australia Day period and the entire January holiday season.
“Now, businesses are telling me Easter bookings are sitting well below what they would normally expect.”
“The reality is, if our operators lose both summer and autumn trade, many simply won’t survive.”
Ms Cleeland said the hospitality sector was already under pressure from rising costs, taxes and red tape, and the bushfire had pushed many to breaking point.
“These pubs and clubs are not just businesses, they are some of the most consistent employers in our towns,” she said.
“To then layer a natural disaster on top of that, without adequate support, risks being the final nail in the coffin for many of them.”
Ms Cleeland formally called on the Allan Labor Government to:
- Exempt fire-affected pubs and clubs from liquor licensing fees for the upcoming financial year
- Deliver targeted business grants for impacted operators
- Provide concessional loans to support recovery and cash flow
- Invest in a coordinated tourism recovery campaign to restore confidence and visitation
“We have incredible destinations, food, wine and experiences right across our region,” Ms Cleeland said.
“But right now, we need the government backing us, not leaving us to fend for ourselves.”
With a fuel crisis also hitting households and businesses, and people tightening their spending, the stakes could not be higher
“Our community is doing everything it can to get back on its feet. What we need now is a government willing to match that effort,” Ms Cleeland said.
“The Albanese and Allan Labor Governments have a choice, they can back our region through recovery, or they can stand by and watch local businesses close their doors,” she said.