An extra $15 million will be funnelled into free mental health and financial counselling support for small businesses in the federal budget.
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The support services will help small businesses bounce back from the recent floods in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
Around $10.9 million go to a free, confidential one-on-one mental health coaching program run by Beyond Blue, Small Business Minister Julie Collins says.
Another $4 million will go towards a small business debt financial counselling hotline run by Financial Counselling Australia.
The coalition government started funding the Beyond Blue program in 2020/21 - injecting $4.3 million into the program - before announcing an additional $4.6 million for the scheme earlier this year.
Ms Collins said small businesses were doing it tough.
"They've stared down years of floods, fires, and a global pandemic, and are now facing a tight labour market and rising inflation," she said.
"Small business has been at the centre of the Albanese government's decision making, and we want to help them improve their long-term resilience and help them bounce back following significant challenges in recent years."
The Labor government will deliver its first budget in less than a week.
It's committed to targeted cost of living relief that does not make the Reserve Bank's job of taming inflation more difficult.
Australian Associated Press
