Small business owners have reported excruciating wait times to access COVID relief grants provided by the NSW government.

Service NSW CEO Damon Rees admitted the hotspot LGA lockdowns have had an impact on staff numbers, but told Deborah Knight they’re doing everything they can to get payments out quicker.

“The reality is at the moment, we are getting a bit overwhelmed with volume. We’ve seen a 40-fold increase in business calls.

“From the time that we have approved an application, we ensure that money gets to bank accounts within five days.

“It can take a little while to approve those applications.

“Every day matters here. We are completely committed to making sure that we can help everyone.”

Press PLAY below to hear his full response

Image: Getty