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The Victorian government’s plan to ease social restrictions ahead of reopening businesses next week has been panned, with Premier Daniel Andrews urged to consult with the small-business sector first.
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‘Clear frustration’ as Daniel Andrews reconsiders lifting business restrictions
13 October 2020
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Most businesses, including accounting and bookkeeping firms, were originally set to reopen next week under the third stage of the Victorian government’s reopening roadmap if the state recorded a daily average of five cases or lower for the previous fortnight.
However, with the 14-day rolling average currently at 9.9, Mr Andrews has conceded that the stage 3 reopening for Melbourne businesses may not go ahead as planned.
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to go as far in and as fast as we’d hoped, but there will be significant changes,” Mr Andrews said.
“They won’t be as much as we’d hoped to do. But it’s not like next Sunday it will be the same rules that this Sunday is being conducted under.”
Mr Andrews said regional Victoria would likely see restrictions on businesses further eased, while Melbourne could see social restrictions, like the 5km travel limit, possibly lifted.
CPA Australia business and investment policy manager Gavan Ord said the Victorian government’s lack of a hard date for lifting economic restrictions was causing “clear frustration” among the business community.
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“The absence of a firm date for moving to the next step towards COVID normal is having an increasingly negative impact on businesses, their owners and staff,” Mr Ord told Accountants Daily.
“Businesses are telling us that they are finding it increasingly difficult to manage their workforce the longer the lockdown goes on, especially staff whose work requires close supervision.
“It is apparent that the length of the lockdown is causing cracks in working relationships to emerge, and this is having an impact on business productivity.”
Treasury Josh Frydenberg has since called on Mr Andrews to “get on with” lifting restrictions for businesses.
“My message to Daniel Andrews is to get on with it,” Mr Frydenberg said on Monday.
“In Victoria, we need to get people back to work.
“We need to allow kids to get back to school. My message to Daniels is get on with it and let people get about their normal lives in a COVID-safe way.”
Mr Ord has also urged the Andrews government to consult with the sector ahead of announcing further policy changes.
“In some cases, changes to lockdown arrangements are being made with very little notice, which makes it difficult for businesses to prepare for them,” he said.
“We recommend that the state government make better use of the small-business consultation mechanisms it has recently established, including engaging with the sector to test and improve policy ideas before they are announced.”
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