Restaurants, bars, wineries and other licensed hospitality businesses across regional Victoria will receive automatic liquor license fee relief under a new support measure announced by the Allan Labor Government on Wednesday.
Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Enver Erdogan announced that businesses affected by the January 2026 bushfires will have their liquor license renewal fees waived or refunded — with no application required. The measure covers pubs, wineries, distilleries, cafés and bottle shops in impacted areas.
“Businesses impacted by the fires have lost stock and trade, and many are rebuilding from scratch — and these fee waivers will take one pressure off their recovery,” Erdogan said.
Eligible businesses are located across regional Victoria, including Avenel, Merton, Seymour, Alexandra, Skipton, Natimuk, Tallangatta and Gellibrand, among others. Businesses that lost stock in the Harcourt Cooperative Cool Stores fire are also covered, and the government indicated further relief would be extended to licensees in areas where fires remain active.
For regional operators already contending with lost stock, reduced trade and the broader costs of rebuilding, the waiver offers some breathing room. Liquor license renewal fees in Victoria can run into the thousands of dollars, depending on the license category and venue size, making the relief particularly significant for smaller independent operators — the cafés, cellar doors, and local pubs that anchor many regional communities.
The fee relief is part of a broader recovery package. The Victorian and federal governments have jointly committed more than $370 million in support for affected families, farmers, businesses and councils since the fires began.
Businesses seeking recovery assistance can call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 or visit vic.gov.au/bushfirerecovery.
