Residents in New South Wales are being given money by the government in an effort to boost the hospitality industry and stimulate the economy.
One place that could benefit from this new initiative is Sydney restaurant Green Moustache.
Pre-Covid, Kiwi tourists would help pack out north Sydney restaurant.
Owner Matt Erby say the takings from all of April 2020 added up to a single day’s-worth of income and although bookings are bouncing back this year the road to recovery has been tough.
To help bolster restaurants like Green Moustache and the hospitality sector the NSW government is stepping in.
“We're now providing vouchers - predominantly through your phone, so you can stimulate the economy,” says NSW Digital Minister Victor Dominello.
Each NSW resident gets four dinner vouchers, totaling $100. They can be spent at approved restaurants but there are some rules - they can't all be spent at once and you they can’t be used to buy alcohol.
"For every $25 voucher people are putting in an extra $17. They're not just buying $25-worth of food, people are saying ‘sheez this is good I'll buy $49 worth of food',” Dominello says.
Erby says he supports the government's scheme.
“Anything helps - if it makes some people go out and experience us or experience any hospitality venue - there's the entertainment side of it as well and I think it's good to get people back out,” he says.
It's an initiative New Zealand's industry is keen to see started here.
The Restaurant Association has been calling on the Government to think creatively about injecting cash into the hospitality sector.
While plans are not in place yet, the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble is providing hope.
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