"Love Local" Blue Mountains' businesses after bush fires

Blue Mountains City Council is urging residents to spend at least an extra $20 a week locally in 2020, to help the City recover after bush fires.

The Love Local campaign launched today aims to recoup money lost to the local economy after visitors stayed away over the traditionally busy Christmas New Year period, due to bush fires in the upper Blue Mountains.  

Mayor Mark Greenhill said over the next year Council would feature specific villages each month, using social media channels, to encourage locals (as well as those further afield) to visit the City.

“If each adult in the Blue Mountains spends an extra $20 a week locally, then the local economy will increase by up to $92 million* in one year thanks to multiplier effects,” Mayor Greenhill said. 

“In the first instance we need our residents to spend more money locally. As this campaign progresses, we’ll be asking our neighbouring councils to promote the concept, as well as councils throughout Western Sydney.

“We can all help our City, and our State, recover after these unprecedented bush fires. I urge Blue Mountains residents to spend at least an extra $20 a week locally in 2020 if they can, and even more if possible.”

The Blue Mountains Mayoral Reference Group for Business, chaired by Councillor Kevin Schreiber, will meet on Wednesday 15 January to discuss what further actions can be taken to assist with business recovery in the Blue Mountains in the coming weeks and months. 

Council’s Economy, Tourism and Place Team will also be visiting key town centres to talk to small business owners to help determine the impact current bush fires have had on the local economy. 

The Small Business Commissioner wants to learn how the fires have impacted small businesses. Blue Mountains’ businesses can complete the survey here.

Blue Mountains City Council has also joined the Greater Sydney Regional Recovery Group along with Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Wollondilly councils and key State Government agencies. The regional group will assist in the process of planning and developing other recovery initiatives for our bush fire affected communities.   

“Our City’s towns and villages all have so much to offer and by each of us spending that bit more locally – whether it’s at the shops, going out for lunch or dinner or staying somewhere locally – we are going to help our local businesses recover,” Mayor Greenhill said.

“The coming months will be critical for our small businesses and now is the time to start supporting them.”

The NSW Government is offering a Disaster Recovery Grant of up to $15,000 to primary producers, small business and not-for-profit organisations affected by the NSW bush fires.  Apply for the Disaster Recovery Grant online at raa.nsw.gov.au/grants/disaster-recovery-grants/bushfires. 

The Federal Government is also providing a Disaster Recovery Allowance to support people who lost income as a direct result of the bush fires in NSW from August 2019 – January 2020. Claim a Disaster Recovery Allowance by visiting Centrelink, calling Centrelink on 180 22 66 (8am – 8pm local time, Monday to Friday and 8am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday) or filling the form in online: humanservices.gov.au/individuals/forms/em195  

For more information on support for small businesses affected by bush fires go to bmcc.nsw.gov.au.  More information on the Love Local campaign can be found at bmcc.nsw.gov.au/lovelocal.

Photo: Council’s Love Local campaign encourages locals to shop, play and stay locally, to help local businesses recover after bush fires.

*The predicted figure has been taken from REMPLAN. If each adult in the Blue Mountains spends an extra $20 a week locally, the overall benefit to the local economy is valued at $92million thanks to the flow on (or multiplier effects) of this initial spend.