Small Business

Training grants to businesses end

grants

Small business won't be able to get grants to help their workers build skills, after the federal government scrapped a $119 million program in its mid-year budget update.

The Industry Skills Fund offered skills advice and training grants to micro, small and medium businesses.

Treasurer Scott Morrison says the fund's been under-utilised and there's still a range of other grants and assistance available to businesses.

While Monday's mid-year budget update forecasts a slight improvement in the budget bottom line this financial year - with a deficit of $36.5 billion rather than $37.1 billion expected - the following three years will see the budget bottom line head further into the red than expected.

The deficit in 2017-18 will be $28.7 billion, up from $26.1 billion forecast in May. In 2018-19 it will be $19.7 billion and in 2019-20 the deficit will nearly double from $6 billion to $10 billion. In total, deficits over the next four years will total $94.9 billion.

AAP 

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