• Questions about the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package
• Questions about the ANZSIC classifications
• Questions about eligibility
• Questions about submitting an application
• Questions about the Impacted Manufacturers Stream

Questions about the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package

Where can I access information in other languages?

Please call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15 and let our operator know. They will call the Translating and Interpreting Service for you.

What support is available through this program?

Victorian manufacturers impacted by the end of native timber harvesting in Victorian state forests on 1 January 2024 can apply for support under the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package.

Impacted business can apply under one of the streams below:

• The Impacted Manufacturers Stream offers grants up to $3,000. This is paid directly to a successful business to access services or advice from their preferred Qualified Service Provider.
• The Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream provides vouchers for business planning services and advice valued at up to $25,000. Voucher recipients may then be invited to apply for a grant of up to $120,000 to implement their Business Transition Plan.

What other support is available for affected businesses and workers?

This Package provides support for manufacturing businesses reliant on native Victorian hardwood. If you are not a Victorian manufacturer but are an impacted timber mill worker or business, or in the harvest and haulage industry, please visit the Forestry Plan webpage for more information on other programs being delivered through the Forestry Transition Program.

What is the difference between the ‘Impacted’ and ‘Highly Impacted’ streams?

You can apply for the Impacted Manufacturers Stream if native Victorian hardwood represents between 5% and 40% of your business’s material inputs used in the manufacturing process (measured by cost).

You can apply for the Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream, if:

• native Victorian hardwood represents at least 40% of your business’s material inputs used in the manufacturing processes (measured by cost); or
• at least 40% of your business’s revenue comes from sales of products made with native Victorian hardwood.

How do I calculate what percentage (%) native Victorian hardwood makes up of my business’s material input costs?

1. Calculate the cost of native Victorian hardwood purchased for one completed financial year (2021-22 or 2022-23).
2. Calculate the total cost of all material inputs purchased for the manufacturing process for the nominated financial year (including native Victorian hardwood). This should include the cost of all raw materials and physical components that are directly involved in the manufacturing process to produce end products. In accounting terms this is a purchasing method to calculate Direct Material Cost.
   • The Direct Material Cost should not include other non-material costs, such as labour, transport, machinery, maintenance, utilities or rent.
3. Then, calculate total purchases of native Victorian hardwood (see step 1) as a percentage (%) of the Direct Material Cost (see step 2) for the nominated financial year.

Illustrative example

The below table is a fictional example of the Direct Material Cost for a business that manufactures upholstered furniture. In this example, native Victorian hardwood is 50% of the business’s purchases of material inputs, and the business would be eligible to apply for the ‘Highly Impacted Stream’.

What is defined as native Victorian hardwood?

For the purpose of this program, native Victorian hardwood is any timber product sourced from Victorian State Forests (i.e. not from plantation sources) and made from native hardwood species.

Does my participation in the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package cost anything?

No, there is no financial co-contribution associated with participating in the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package, however you will need to invest your time.

Am I obligated to participate in program evaluation post-completion of the program?

Yes. You or an authorised representative of your business will receive an email from Business Victoria inviting you to complete a survey 3 months after the completion of your engagement.

How will my personal information be treated?

For the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industries and Regions' (DJSIR) practices and policies related to the collection, use and storage of applicant’s information, please read the Privacy Statement.

If successful, will my project details be made public?

DJSIR may include the name of the recipients and the amount of grants in its annual report. DJSIR also reserves the right to publicise the benefits accruing as the result of the provision of this program and may seek your agreement to issue a media release regarding your project.

Do businesses have a right of appeal?

There is no right of appeal, but DJSIR will provide feedback on request by unsuccessful applicants.

How do I submit a complaint or offer feedback?

To raise a matter, email industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

What should I do if I have technical issues accessing the Timber Supply Chain Resilience application form?

We understand that sometimes the unexpected does happen. Please take a screenshot of the problem or error message and email industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

Questions about ANZSIC codes

What if I don't know my ANZSIC code?

There are three ways to check your ANZSIC code:

1. contact the Australian Business Register (ABR) on 13 92 26
2. ask your tax or accounting professional
3. follow the steps on our ANZSIC Code page.

If you need further assistance, please email industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au or phone the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

I believe my business should be eligible for support but our ANZSIC code is not one of the four nominated as eligible in the program guidelines.

If you update your business’s ANZSIC code after 23 May 2023, you will require written agreement from DJSIR to be eligible for support under the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package.

If this is the case for your business, please email industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au or phone the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

Questions about eligibility

I use hardwood from another State or Territory, am I eligible to apply?

No. To be eligible for support from the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package you must be directly impacted by the end of native timber harvesting in Victoria.

What if my business is not located in Victoria but is reliant on native Victorian hardwood?

To receive support from the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package a business must have a physical presence in Victoria. To demonstrate this, the main business location of the applicant’s ABN must be listed as being in Victoria on the Australian Business Register at the time of application.

I think I am highly impacted but less than 40% of my material input costs are attributed to the purchase of native Victorian hardwood.

If 40% of your business’s revenue comes from the sale of products made with native Victorian hardwood, you are eligible to apply for Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream, even if your material input costs attributed to purchase of native Victorian hardwood is below 40%.

What if I work with native Victorian hardwood but I am not a manufacturer?

This package is for Victorian manufacturers with an eligible ANZSIC code.

Examples of ineligible business activities include:

• carpentry
• milling
• haulage
• wholesale of timber products
• retail of timber products
• logistics
• consultancy.

If you are not a Victorian manufacturer but are an impacted timber mill worker or business, or are in the harvest and haulage industry, please visit the Foresty Transition webpage for more information on the other programs being delivered through the Forestry Transition Program.

I believe that my business is highly impacted, but revenue derived from native Victorian hardwood products has dropped below 40% in recent years.

Please provide any relevant details in an email to industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au and a representative from DJSIR will contact you.

My ABN has been cancelled, can I still apply?

No. To be eligible businesses must have held an ABN on and from 1 July 2021.

Can all business structures apply for support?

Most impacted businesses can apply, however the following are ineligible for support through the Timber Supply Chain Resilience Package:

• Commonwealth, state and local government agencies or bodies
• publicly funded research institutions, and
• industry associations.

If you are unsure if your business structure is eligible, please email industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au or phone the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

Questions about submitting an application

Who can submit an application?

To complete your application, you will need to be an authorised representative of the business (such as an owner or director), or a person given authorisation by an authorised representative.

To confirm the identity of the person applying, one of the below is required at the time of application:

• a Driver Licence or Learner Permit from any Australian state or territory
• an Australian passport or New Zealand passport
• a Medicare Card, or
• a foreign passport for those issued with an Australian Visa.

How long after I submit my application before I know the outcome?

DJSIR will endeavour to assess applications within 4 weeks of submission. Successful businesses will be notified via email.

Can I submit a late application?

No, late applications will not be accepted.

• Applications for the Impacted Manufacturers Stream close on 14 June 2024 at 11:59pm (AEDT) or earlier at the Department’s discretion.
• Applications for the Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream close on 30 August 2024 at 11:59pm (AEDT) or earlier at the Department’s discretion.

How are applications assessed?

Eligible applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria as outlined in the program guidelines. All supplementary attachments and information provided as part of the application will be taken into consideration during the assessment process.

DJSIR may contact you if further information is required.

How many applications can I submit?

Applicants are only eligible to submit one application for consideration for funding under this Package.

Your business cannot receive support under the Impacted Manufacturers Stream if you receive support under the Highly Impacted Manufacturers Stream.

Can a joint application be submitted?

No. Joint Applications are not permitted under this Package.

I need help submitting my application, what should I do?

For assistance with your application, please email industrytransition@ecodev.vic.gov.au or phone the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

Questions about the Impacted Manufacturers Stream

When are the opening and closing dates for applications?

Applications open 3 July 2023 and will close on 14 June 2024 at 11:59 pm (AEDT) or earlier at the Department’s discretion.

What will I need to submit my application?

To complete your application for the Impacted Manufacturers Stream, you will require:

• confirmation of the identity of the person applying, one of the below is required at the time of application:
  • a Driver Licence or Learner Permit from any Australian state or territory,
  • an Australian Passport or New Zealand passport
  • a Medicare Card, or
  • a foreign passport for those issued with an Australian Visa.
• your business ABN
• your ANZSIC code
• your WorkCover Employer Number and WorkCover Certificate of Currency
• evidence of hardwood from Victorian state forests as a material input, in the form of:
  • an invoice evidencing purchase of hardwood from Victorian state forests between 01 July 2021 and 23 May 2023, and
  • a Statutory Declaration from the director or authorised person stating that hardwood from Victorian state forests represents between 5% and 40% of material inputs (measured by cost) for the business. Please use the Statutory Declaration template.
• the contact details, ABN, and membership details of your Qualified Service Provider*.
• where applicable, a valid Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) registration number, and
• the business’s bank account details.

*If you don’t have Qualified Service Provider, please follow the steps on the Qualified Service Provider guidance page.

What if I am an impacted manufacturer but do not have a trusted Qualified Service Provider?

If you don’t have a Qualified Service Provider, you will need to choose one from the directories provided or contact one of the organisations on our Qualified Service Provider guidance page.

How will I be informed of the outcome of my application? What happens then?

DJSIR will endeavour to notify each business about the outcome of their complete application within 4 weeks of applying. An email will be sent to the authorised representative of the business which will include an acceptance link. Once you have accepted you will receive your $2,000 payment into the bank account provided in the application and can begin your engagement with your nominated Qualified Service Provider.

Do successful businesses have to sign a contract to participate in the stream?

Yes. If successful, you will receive a contract (Grant Agreement) to sign.

Will my business receive the grant payment for the Impacted Manufacturers Stream?

If successful, you will be paid into the nominated bank account provided in your application.

The grant will be provided in 2 payments:

1. $2,000 if assessed as eligible following submission of a complete application, including nomination of a Qualified Service Provider
2. $1,000 on completion of the service activity on submission of evidence of full payment to the Qualified Service Provider.

Why am I being asked to send information to receive my second payment?

Applicants must meet the grant agreement terms and provide evidence of full payment to their Qualified Service Provider to receive the second payment of $1,000.

What services can I use the funding to access?

The grant must be used towards receiving, from your nominated Qualified Service Provider:

• advice and analysis regarding the management of cash flow, preparation or cash flow budgets and projections
• profitability analysis and formulation of financial management and/or operational business strategies
• tax advice and planning
• strategic analysis to revise business planning, and/or
• advice regarding the management of debts.

When do projects need to be completed?

Projects must be completed and a claim for the final grant payment of $1,000 on or before 31 December, 2024.

Can I start my project before I have signed a grant agreement?

No. Funding will not be provided for retrospective activities.

Can grant funding be spent on GST?

No, successful applicants can spend up to $3,000 on services but cannot include GST paid to their Qualified Service Provider.