We are going to have thousands of people in the region who are going to get the $750 stimulus payment from the end of this month.

My plea is that people spend it with a local business in our region.

Spend it locally, spend it with a small business and spend to support someone’s job.

To be honest the big chains – the supermarkets and big retailers – they’re big enough and ugly enough to weather an economic storm.

Small business owners are not.

We’re already hearing reports of small businesses feeling the effects.

Some are losing thousands of dollars a day, and having to lay off staff already.

Those in hospitality are telling us business has fallen of a cliff.

I am urging people not to spent $750 online as that generally means the money is not staying in town to support local workers and local businesses.

Please spend it locally, spend it with a small business, and spend it to support someone’s job.

One-off stimulus payments of $750 will flow to lower income earners such as pensioners, social security and veteran income support recipients and eligible concession card holders from 31 March.

It is expected that 90 per cent of payments will be made by mid-April 2020. Around half of those to benefit will be pensioners.

There will be one payment per eligible recipient, and it will be exempt from taxation and will not count as income for social security, farm household allowance and veteran payments.