The Victorian Chamber is pleased that the State and Federal Governments have again come together to announce a further $807 million in support for Victorian businesses to get through the second extension of Lockdown Six.

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!

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The Victorian Chamber welcomes the further $2.34 billion in joint State and Federal Government support announced today for Victorian businesses and workers to get through the continued extension of Lockdown Six.

Victorian business needs certainty and clarity about when they can plan to welcome back customers and staff as we progress towards hitting the National Cabinet’s COVID-19 vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent.

Well, there was a welcome shifting of narrative late last week, and we are now clearly focused on a vaccination-based opening. The past week has been tough, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Victorian business needs certainty and clarity on the plan for our state’s COVID-19 recovery. The Victorian Chamber has formulated a detailed four-phase roadmap to provide that light on the hill for business, workers, the economy and communities.

Sunday was not the news we wanted. The roadmap fell short: short of hope, short of NSW and short of where we need to be moving to as a state.

I had a close friend message me from London on the weekend, as he sat comfortably in a coffee shop on Regent Street.

The State and Federal Governments have announced a further $2.27 billion in grants and financial support to assist Victorian businesses and workers struggling through the final weeks of lockdown.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes the announcement of a fifth allotment of joint Federal and State Government funding to see business and workers through until vaccination rates hit the targets we need to open up under the Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan.

Businesses and workers have sacrificed, suffered and done their bit to protect us all from COVID-19. They stayed closed, in some cases without work, pivoted their services to keep Victorians employed and many lost what they had spent years building. Businesses across the State are in crisis.

October is finally here, and we are three weeks or less from hitting the 70 per cent target to start the reopening. It’s within sight now, and we can finally start to think about waving goodbye to lockdowns forever. The Victorian Chamber is continuing our push for the State Government to revise openings at both the 70 and 80 per cent targets.

Sunday was a good day for most when we heard the State Government’s roadmap had been bought forward. I cannot wait to see the smiles on the faces of business owners, staff and customers when we start to emerge from lockdown in Metropolitan Melbourne this week.

How good was it seeing our state roar back to life over the weekend? It was so exciting to see crowds at events and smiles on the faces of so many as they celebrated Victoria’s reopening over the past few days.

As Victoria emerges from COVID-19 and business confidence returns, there has never been a better time to take on an apprentice or trainee - a crucial pathway to kickstart our economy post-pandemic and secure talent for Victoria’s future workforce.