More than 600 workers in the Dubbo region's food services, pubs and recreation sectors alone will have lost their jobs already amid the coronavirus fallout, Dubbo Regional Council estimates.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Eateries, hotels and gyms were some of the first businesses to feel the impacts of rules imposed by the national cabinet from March 23 to rein in the pandemic.
Dubbo mayor Ben Shields reported on the regulation's impacts as he encouraged consumers to use their purchasing power to help, saying collectively there was potential to add more than $1 million to the local economy every month.
Recent weeks had been incredibly difficult for businesses and the community, he said on Friday at the council's COVID-19 response update.
"The regulations that have been put in place have not been done lightly or without acknowledgement of what it means to businesses and the way we conduct our everyday lives," he said.
"But the fact of the matter is this virus is a threat to our everyday lives and to combat that, we need to be vigilant and responsive to this important health issue..."
Cr Shields said the council had developed a three-pronged approach to help.
Firstly it was aiding businesses with marketing to support new business models, secondly it was providing a central source of information for business support and employee responsibilities, and thirdly it was facilitating "new workforce opportunities from large-scale employers looking for an immediate workforce", he said.
"As consumers we all can be part of this by consciously supporting local businesses and wherever possible in doing so, support local employment and our local economy through this crisis period," he said.
"From our calculations earlier this week we estimate that over 600 people in the Dubbo region will have lost their jobs in the food services and pub scene alone. This is an absolute tragedy.
"If you're still in active employment, when you are buying household and family resources, your purchasing habits can literally save hundreds of jobs.
"If one-tenth of our population spent an additional $50 a week in food services, over the course of the year, this would support more than 150 jobs across that industry, and overflow into others, such as the supply chain.
"It would add almost $13 million to our economy's profit line, more and more throughout the year.
"...We are in this together, so now is the time to band together and to do what we can to support each other."