Demand for Shepparton TFD Detailing owner-operator Dave Miller’s services was so high 13 months ago that he decided to take a leap, moving his operation from a home garage and signing a commercial lease.
“I was flat out doing it all at home and couldn’t keep up so I thought, ‘Oh well, I’ll lease a shed’,” he said.
Mr Miller’s job, which he performs alone using mostly disinfecting chemicals, is not an essential service, and he loses big and small jobs each time a lockdown is announced.
Five lockdowns later he is preparing to close his doors for the final time, having watched his prosperous trade slow to a trickle and being ineligible for the Victorian Government’s Business Costs Assistance Program.
“I’m dead, things have just stopped,” he said.
“I jumped on the Vic Gov site when they brought in the snap lockdown payment last time.
“I saw I was ineligible straight away because I’m not registered for GST, because I’m not going to make over $75,000 in the year.”
Having not paid himself a wage for 12 months, Mr Miller said business had usually been able to break even but it had not been profitable.
“While a couple of grand (from support payments) is not everything, that couple of grand would pay my rent for the month and some of my chemicals,” he said.
“Or a phone bill and a power bill.
“Just that little bit of help at this time would make the world of difference to a lot of people.”
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Struggling to make ends meet, Mr Miller turned to Jobseeker.
But in some ways this decision made it harder to work toward self-sufficiency for his business which was “hemorrhaging money”.
Mr Miller is not eligible for the newly announced COVID-19 Disaster Payment because he is receiving income support.
And being single, Mr Miller does not have the secondary income of a partner to fall back on during hard times.
He said he felt lucky his children were adults and did not depend on him financially.
Mr Miller has been detailing cars since his teenage years, and with three decades of experience he has a proud reputation.
“A lot of people respect my abilities and talent, but they can’t support me if they’ve got no money to spend,” he said.
“There’s always ups and downs in the automotive industry, but this year would have to be the worst I’ve seen it.”
Since Jobkeeper and the Coronavirus Supplement ended more than three months ago in March, Mr Miller said his customers had tightened their purse strings.
“People are still struggling as they were last year,” he said.
“If I was in a completely different mindset to where I am now, I know why people go, ‘I can’t do this anymore’, and commit suicide.
“Especially people who are a lot more in debt than I am.
“I can understand it and I can see exactly where a lot of people come from, not that I would ever do it.”
Mr Miller said his door was always open to people going through a hard time who needed to talk or vent frustrations.
“A lot of people are in the same boat,” he said.
“I don’t care if I know them or not, I’ve got a kettle, coffee and sugar.
“People need to know that they’re not on their own . . . In these times, the way they are now, it helps just to talk about it.”
If this story raised concerns for you or someone you know, help is available. Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or at lifeline.org.au. Contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or beyoneblue.org.au/forums.
