Business eligibility may be relaxed for next round of ChooseCBR vouchers

The territory government has committed to revive the scheme later this year and allocated $2 million to the discount vouchers in the recent budget.

It came after the government attracted criticism for a poor take-up of the government's trial of the program in December.

The scheme offered discount vouchers that could be redeemed at Canberra businesses across retail, tourism, accommodation, arts and hospitality.

The government had funded $500,000 for the trial but only $310,000 was redeemed over a three-week period.

ACT Business Minister Tara Cheyne was grilled on the scheme in an estimates hearing on Tuesday morning.

Ms Cheyne said in estimates that $123,000 was spent in administration fees on the program.

The Liberals shadow business minister Leanne Castley said she was staggered at the administration costs.

As well, Ms Castley criticised the low take-up from the scheme, which she labelled "a joke".

"Only 336 of Canberra's 30,000 small businesses signed up for this rushed scheme which is just over 1 per cent of businesses," she said.

Under the December trial only about 2000 businesses were eligible to take part in the program.

To be eligible, a business was required to have a physical shopfront, have an annual turnover of less than $10 million, received JobKeeper at some point and be in the retail, tourism and accommodation, arts and recreation, personal services and hospitality industries.

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Ms Cheyne said: "Based on the feedback we have received, the government will consider the eligibility criteria for businesses to take part in ChooseCBR".

She has previously said that feedback from businesses will inform changes to the program such as better marketing and signage so customers know where to spend their vouchers.

Ms Castley has called for a full overhaul of the scheme.

"You certainly don't throw good money after bad which is why Minister Cheyne must go back to the drawing board and overhaul this failed ChooseCBR scheme," she said.

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