Whyalla Small Local Business Support Grant Guidelines

The Whyalla Small Local Business Support Grants (“WSLBSG”) program is part of the State Government package to support South Australian businesses and industry in the City of Whyalla that have been impacted by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Limited (“OneSteel”) being placed into Administration. OneSteel’s business activities include the Whyalla Steelworks, South Australian iron ore mining assets and some related operations.

Grants are available to support Small Businesses located within the City of Whyalla that have experienced a material reduction in revenue as a result of the broader community impact arising from the recent decline in activity at OneSteel and its related businesses.

The Department of State Development (“DSD”), working in collaboration with the Department of Treasury and Finance (“DTF”), will administer the WSLBSG program.

To access the grant, successful applicants will be required to execute an agreement stipulating the obligations of the applicant and the conditions under which funding is provided.

Capitalised terms in these Guidelines are defined in the Definitions below.

The available grant amount is $10,000 (excluding GST).

The grant is a voluntary payment by the State Government to assist parties impacted by the OneSteel administration. The grant amount is not provided on behalf of, at the request of, or in collaboration or cooperation with OneSteel or its administrators.

Only one application for a grant can be submitted per Australian Business Number (ABN).

Grants are provided to support eligible small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in Whyalla that have experienced a reduction in revenue as a result of the decline in recent activity at OneSteel and its related businesses.

This may include, but is not limited to, any of the following:

• meeting standing business costs, including utilities, salaries and rent;
• seeking financial advice to support the recovery of the business;
• adjusting the business to be viable in the changed local context;
• developing the business and extending business reach through marketing and communications activities; and
• retaining, staying connected to, and supporting existing employees.

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 that is 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 that are not registered for GST will need to provide their most recent lodged tax return confirming annual turnover was greater than $75 000;
• have an Australia-wide grouped payroll of less than $1.5 million in 2023-24 [note the information you provide with your application will be verified against information held by Revenue SA];
• demonstrate a decline in revenue of twenty percent (20% ) or more in any consecutive three (3)-month period within the nine (9) months prior to 19 February 2025, compared to the same three (3)-month period in the year prior (the ‘comparative period’)
  • Businesses that have been operating for less than fifteen (15) months must demonstrate that revenue has declined over another period of operation, not less than 2 months, by twenty percent (20%) or more, to the satisfaction of the Treasurer, or their delegate. Evidence could include average monthly trading activity, comparisons against projections, volumes of products produced/sold
• demonstrate minimum revenue of $15,000 in the three (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 three (3)-month period since commencing/taking over operations.

To be considered as part of the application process, and as an essential criterion, applicants are also required to describe, to the satisfaction of DSD and DTF, how their business has been negatively impacted by OneSteel entering administration or the recent decline in activity at OneSteel or its related businesses. The Treasurer, or their delegate, may decline an application in the event a clear linkage is not demonstrated to their satisfaction.

The following organisations are not eligible for assistance:

• GFG entities (defined below)
• Public companies within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (except for not‑for‑profit organisations that are established as a public corporation, limited by guarantee)
• Tax-exempt entities (except for registered charities that are income-tax exempt)
• Local Government and Councils
• Local Government Associations
• Industry Associations
• State or Federal Government agencies.

For the purposes of the above, GFG entities include:

• the ‘Gupta Family Group Alliance’ companies owned or controlled (within the meaning of s 50AA of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) in whole or part by Sanjeev Gupta or his interests;
• related body corporates (within the meaning of s50 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) to those companies;
• associated entities (within the meaning of s50AAA of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) to those companies;
• directors, shareholders, investors or employees of those companies described in the preceding points above;
• any company, trust, association or partnership in which the entities or persons set out above have any ownership or any other legal or beneficial interest; and
• any other entity or person designated by the Treasurer or delegate in their reasonable opinion.

Small businesses may be assessed for exceptional circumstances eligibility where they do not explicitly meet the specific eligibility criteria outlined in this section but are located within the City of Whyalla local government area and have been significantly impacted by OneSteel’s entry into administration or the decline in activity at OneSteel and its related businesses.

Eligibility under exceptional circumstances will be considered by the Treasurer, or their delegate, on a case-by-case basis. The Treasurer, or their delegate, is not obliged to approve any application.

Applicants must declare that they meet the Eligibility Criteria when submitting the application and provide the following evidence in support of their application:

• copy of lodged business activity statements (BAS) downloaded from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) portal for the relevant quarter/s and the comparison quarter/s in the previous as per eligibility criteria. Where this is not available:
  • copies of income statements/financials validated by a registered and qualified accountant, with such qualifications as determined by the Treasurer or delegate, for the relevant quarter/s and the comparison quarter/s in the previous year.
• a copy of the business’ bank statement, which must show the bank name and logo, business’ bank account name(s), BSB and account number.
• a Certificate of Currency for any business insurance policy [if the business does not have an insurance policy, the form will give the applicant the option to provide their most recent Business Activity Statement issued by the ATO].
• where an existing business has been purchased, evidence of the downturn should be provided by comparing against income received against an equivalent quarter of the former business and independent verification from a registered and qualified accountant.
• where a new business has commenced less than fifteen (15) months prior to being impacted, evidence of the downturn should be provided via other evidence verified by a registered and qualified accountant (which could include average monthly trading activity since business commencement).
• any other information requested from time to time by DSD or DTF through the application process.

All applications to the WSLBSG program will need to be submitted via the online application portal at: https://mybusiness.smartygrants.com.au/whyalla-support-grant.

If you require further information regarding the WSLBSG program, please contact whyalla.support@sa.gov.au or call (08) 8429 3350. Local in-person support can be accessed by attending the Office of Hydrogen Whyalla Site, Westland Shopping Centre.

• Applicants must retain all records required for assessment purposes under the program until five years after the closing day for applications.
• Applicants must consent to the Department of State Development (DSD) conducting an audit of documentation used to support an application to verify information provided, which may include contacting the nominated qualified accountant to verify the financial information provided.
• If information in the application is found to be untrue or misleading, the matter may be referred to law enforcement authorities of the relevant Australian, state or territory government and penalties may apply.
• Detailed terms and conditions for the WSLBSG program will be included in the application form.

Applicants should be aware that all documents in the possession of the government, including those about this grant opportunity, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1991 (SA) (FOI Act). Information submitted in applications and all related correspondence, attachments and other documents may be made publicly available under the FOI Act.

The FOI Act gives members of the public a legally enforceable right to apply to access documents – subject to certain exemptions – held by government agencies, local government authorities, statutory and regulatory bodies and South Australian universities.

The Department of State Development (DSD) and Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) comply with the Government of South Australia’s Information Privacy Principles Instruction. DSD and DTF collect information (including personal information) as reasonably necessary for the purposes and functions of:

• administering our grants and funding programs
• keeping you informed about the program, relevant upcoming events, grant funding
• initiatives and outcomes, our services, special events or client feedback surveys, as well as our activities in general
• improving our websites and other services.

The collection and use of information extends to use of such information by the Treasurer and Minister for Small and Family Business for the purposes as outlined above.

If an applicant believes that any information provided in their application is confidential or commercial-in-confidence, the applicant must clearly identify such information and the reason for its confidentiality.

Any information contained in or relating to an application, including information identified by an applicant as confidential information for the purposes of applying for funding under this Program, may be disclosed by DSD or DTF to, or used by DSD or DTF:

• to its employees, advisers or third parties in order to manage the WSLBSG program, including but not limited to, for the purposes of verifying information in, evaluating and assessing the application
• for the purpose of verifying other funding income for approved purchases – DSD or DTF may provide information to other agencies nominated in your application
• for due diligence, monitoring, reporting and audit purposes
• within the government where this serves the legitimate interests of DSD or DTF
• in response to a request by a House or Committee of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia or South Australia
• for training, systems testing and process improvement, including compiling statistics and reports
• if an application is successful, for promotion of outcomes
• where information is authorised or required by law to be disclosed
• where the information is already in the public domain.

It is the intent of the government to be transparent with regards to financial assistance provided to industry. The government intends to publicly disclose details of all financial assistance provided by the government for this program (which will include, but is not limited to, the name of the successful applicant, details of the Project activity, and amount of grant funding).

The Treasurer of South Australia reserves the right to:

• administer the WSLBSG program and conduct the process for the assessment and approval of applications to the WSLBSG program in such manner as they think fit;
• change the structure, procedures, nature, scope or timing of, or alter the terms of participation in the process or overall WSLBSG program (including but not limited to eligibility, timeframes, terms and conditions, submission and compliance of applications), where in such circumstances notice will be provided to applicants on the Department of State Development website; and
• consider or accept, or refuse to consider or accept, any application which:
  • is lodged other than in accordance with these Guidelines; or
  • is lodged after the relevant closing date; or
  • is otherwise non-conforming in any respect.
• where approval of an application has been communicated to an applicant, withdraw such approval in the event facts or information come to the attention of DSD or DTF (whether known at the time of the application or not) which in their reasonable opinion: (a) are material to their assessment of the application or (b) mean the application is made other than in accordance with these Guidelines or non-confirming in any respect; and
• abandon or close the program as they think fit.

No responsibility for any loss or damage caused by reliance on any of the information or advice provided by or on behalf of the state of South Australia, or for any loss or damage arising from acts or omissions made, is accepted by the state of South Australia, its officers, servants or agents.

By applying for financial assistance an applicant will be taken to:

• license the Government of South Australia to reproduce for the purpose of this process, the whole or any portion of application despite any copyright or other intellectual property right that may subsist
• transfer ownership in the documents and any other materials constituting the application to the Treasurer.