Support for businesses impacted by the Whyalla Steelworks challenges
The Whyalla Small Local Business Support Grant program is part of the Australian and South Australian Government package of support for Whyalla businesses and workers.
This grant is available to support South Australian, Whyalla-based businesses and not-for-profit organisations that have experienced a reduction in revenue as a result of the decline in activity at OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd (OneSteel) steelworks, and its related businesses.
Grants of $10,000 are available to help recipients meet standing business costs, including utilities, salaries and rent.
About this grant
The Department of State Development is administering the Whyalla Small Local Business Support Grants in partnership with the Department of Treasury and Finance.
The grant is a voluntary payment by the South Australian Government to assist parties impacted by the OneSteel administration.
As part of the application process, you'll need to demonstrate how your South Australian small business has been negatively impacted by OneSteel being placed into administration or the recent decline in activity at OneSteel and its related businesses.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the grant, the applicant must:
- be a legal entity established in Australia (a sole trader, company, partnership or corporate trustee of a trust). Incorporated entities must be incorporated in Australia;
- be a South Australian business;
- be conducting business operations and have their principal place of business registered at a premises within the City of Whyalla as at 1 February 2025;
- hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) as at 1 February 2025;
- be registered for Goods and Services Tax (“GST”). Not-for-profit organisations not registered for GST will need to provide their most recent lodged tax return confirming annual turnover greater than $75 000;
- have an Australia-wide grouped payroll of less than $1.5 million in 2023-24;
- demonstrate a decline in revenue of 20% or more in any consecutive 3-month period within the prior 9 months, compared to the same 3-month period in the year prior ('Comparison period')
- Businesses that have been operating for less than 15 months must demonstrate that revenue has declined over another period of operation not less than 2 months by 20% or more;
- demonstrate minimum revenue of $15,000 in the 3 month comparative period;
- Businesses that have been operating for less than 15 months must demonstrate that revenue would have been at least $15,000 across a 3-month period since commencing/taking over operations;
- be able to describe, to the satisfaction of Department of State Development (DSD) and Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), how their business has been negatively impacted by OneSteel entering administration or the recent decline in activity at OneSteel or its related businesses.