A Gateway Island business owner smashed by a border checkpoint being set up on his front step and the "circuit breaker" COVID-19 lockdown has described a Victorian government compensation package as being too little, too late.
Victor Supper Club owner Carlos Saliba said the $2000 grants for hospitality wouldn't even cover his electricity bill for a month.
He said Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was out of touch and the compensation package announced at the weekend added "insult to injury"
"Does he want us to just forget what happened in January?" Mr Saliba said.
"I'm not interested in applying for money because it is minimal compared to our losses.
"It's not what would satisfy me.It's a case of the whole community here has suffered.
"A lot of things have been taken away from us so they can just protect (Melbourne) or play tennis."
The Victorian government has been contacted for comment.
Mr Saliba said hospitality businesses get hit hard by the "stop, start" lockdowns and appreciated the goodwill shown by an Albury motel to offer him and his brother Wassim, who runs the nearby La Maison restaurant, somewhere to operate from during the most recent lockdown.
"We are not like an office or Bunnings," he said.
"You just can't flick the switch and open again after being told to shut.
IN OTHER NEWS
"We have lost tens of thousands of dollars from being repeatedly forced to close.
"This is nothing."
Member for Benambra Bill Tilley said more needed to be done for businesses.
"I'm incredibly disappointed for the many businesses that have been smashed by knee-jerk reactions, where the only tool in Daniel Andrews' armoury is a statewide lockdown," he said..
"Those businesses on Gateway Island bore the brunt of this with a poorly thought out state road block in January that meant no one could get to them.
"Two Labor ministers saw firsthand how bad it was and have done nothing.
"Just last week in the Victorian Parliament I asked the Regional Development Minister (Jaala Pulford) to explain what was being done to help these businesses.
"They deserved decent and special compensation but what we have is a token gesture towards what will be forever called the Valentine's Day massace."
