With the end of financial year fast approaching, Pitcher Partners share their insights on the limited-time grants and tax incentives available that businesses and individuals can take advantage of.

The business community in Regional Victoria will be relieved today to hear the news of a further easing of restrictions. There is also good news that essentially every business in the state can now operate. But for some larger metropolitan events, hospitality and entertainment venues, the easing of restrictions have not gone far enough, and we still have a difference in settings between Regional and Metropolitan areas.

Over the next three years, the Solar for Business program will allow 15,000 small Victorian businesses to potentially halve the upfront cost of installing of an approved solar energy system.

Lockdown Four, and the COVID-19 situations around the country in Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australia, have shown us that the pandemic is far from over.  

Restrictions have once again eased following seven consecutive days of zero cases of COVID-19 community transmission, as Metropolitan Melbourne moves in line with Regional Victoria.

It was only last week that we were reminded of the beginning of a 112-day lockdown here in Victoria last year and we desperately hope we don’t find ourselves in a similar situation again.

In partnership with Crown Melbourne, the Victorian Chamber is hitting the road to help regional businesses bounce back from COVID-19 and open the doors to big partnerships.

Hospitality, retail, gyms and schools are once again able to open their doors across Victoria as Lockdown Five comes to an end. Here is what you and your business need to know.

Today Victorian business can get back to what you do best. It was good news we can now begin our exit from Lockdown Five and move faster than when we exited Lockdown Four.

The Victorian Government’s further tightening of border controls with New South Wales has left border businesses reeling, with yet another strain placed on their operations.

A little over a week since Lockdown Five came to an end, the State Government announced Victoria would once again go into a circuit-breaker lockdown. (UPDATED)

It was mixed news for the business community this week with Regional Victoria freed from Lockdown Six but Metropolitan Victoria required to stay in lockdown for another seven days.

Lockdowns. We’ve had a few. And there will probably be a few more before we are done. Like them or not, it’s the agreed weapon of choice to combat COVID-19 until vaccination rates get to 80 per cent. They have worked to effectively stop the spread.  

I felt a shift in the fight against COVID-19 this week when Prime Minister Scott Morrison remarked, “this Groundhog Day has to end”. I couldn’t agree more!

Welcome to the August edition of Chief Executive Paul Guerra's monthly regional column - covering issues, news and developments important to Victoria’s regional businesses.

Regional Victorian businesses, with the exception of Greater Shepparton, have been given the green light to open their doors after quashing the latest COVID-19 outbreak, putting an end to the gruelling Lockdown Six extension. Here is what you and your business need to know.