COVID-19 resource hub

Supporting Australian businesses and households impacted by COVID-19

The way Australians live, work, travel and socialise has been dramatically affected by the unprecedented and continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our nation’s energy resources sector is no different. Across the country and through the value chain, innovative small and medium businesses, sole traders and researchers have been severely affected. We recognise that many of you are experiencing first-hand the full impact of this pandemic, may be living in lockdown or have loved ones who are ill. And we expect impacts like these to continue for some time.

Since our inception in 2016, NERA's mission has and continues to be 'creating connections for growth'. Now more than ever this commitment to supporting our sector to communicate, collaborate and come together remains vitally important. In the midst of the business disruptions and uncertainty resulting from COVID-19, we are working to help our sector support itself and support our wider community as Australia navigate these challenging times.

To achieve this goal, NERA has compiled this information hub to:

  • Release our COVID-19 Innovation Challenge Funding Round, which is supporting 10 local energy resources innovators to rapidly develop new solutions to the challenges we face as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Support SMEs to build business resilience by sharing the range of support opportunities available to Australian SMEs, innovators, entrepreneurs and sole traders working in the energy resources sector.

NERA joins fellow Growth Centres AMGC (Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre), AustCyber and MTP Connect in developing opportunities to assist our sectors at this time.

The Australian Government has announced social distancing measures and restrictions on a number of non-essential services. For more information, see below.

Opportunity for WA-based SMEs

Fast Forward WA, a new initiative backed by NERA, the WA State Government and leading business organisations, offers tailored mentoring, coaching and support services to help WA SMEs rebuild capacities, capability and improve diversity.

  • Open Workshop Series — free, pragmatic training on topics essential for SMEs to recover, lead and grow through the COVID-19 recovery market.
  • Extended Mentoring Program — group coaching, specialist mentoring + more for B2B in industrial sectors, e.g. manufacturing companies, providers of services or products to the oil and gas, mining, agriculture + more. Only 30 positions available — Apply by 1 September 2020.

Find out more here.

Building a resilient business — webinar series

NERA is pleased to share recordings of our five-part ‘From Adversity to Advantage: a recipe for building a resilient business’ webinar series, which explored business resilience and provided practical steps, examples and strategies for SMEs, comprising part of our COVID-19 response initiatives.

Presented by Perth-based entrepreneur Bill Withers, the series focussed on the unique opportunity SMEs have to harness the characteristics of their business to build resilience.

Click here to access the recordings

The Australian Technology Catalogue

Many of our innovative suppliers rely on international exhibitions, conferences and trade shows to promote their technology solutions. With these opportunities cancelled or postponed this year, the Australian Technology Catalogue portal is an invaluable virtual platform for Australian suppliers to showcase and prove their technology solutions, raise exposure, improve their business resilience and connect with end-users to rapidly deploy their technology.

NERA encourages all SMEs with innovative technology to feature their solutions on the catalogue today.

Click here to enter the portal and share your technology.

Federal and State business assistance measures

Essential Services

The Australian Government has announced social distancing measures to protect the Australian community from the spread of COVID-19. Restrictions have been placed on a number of non-essential services. The restrictions continue to relax in states and territories.Find out more about restrictions on services.

More information on these measures can be found on the business.gov.au website here.

Any business that is listed — unless it has an exemption — is prohibited from operating because it is considered to create a risk of transmission and for the time being is considered as a non-essential service.

A detailed media statement from the Prime Minister’s office is found here.

The Australian Government has announced measures to support small businesses impacted by the COVID-19, including stimulus packages to help protect communities and jobs over the next six months.

Useful links and contacts

Visit these locations for specific information on how to apply:


Jobs Hub

The Morrison Government has launched a new Jobs Hub, supporting businesses and those Australians looking for work. The Jobs Hub helps Australians looking for work find advertised vacancies. Visit the hub here.


State Government assistance packages

In addition to the federal government assistance packages, individual states and territories also have their own support packages available: NSW, Qld, SA, WA, Tas, Vic, ACT and NT. We encourage you to check your state government Energy and Mining department website for any additional information about what is happening specifically in your state sectors.

More information on State and territory grants and assistance can be found here.


Supporting businesses in the current climate

The Australian Information Industry Association, in conjunction with some of its members and with support from the Federal Government, has come together to provide a suite of free service offerings, advice and tools to support Australian business continuity through use of technology. Support includes a range of remote communications, collaboration, workforce management and video conferencing solutions for business continuity that can be accessed on any device at any time.

For more information, click here.

For information on COVID-19