The Federal Government has announced assistance for Victorian workers impacted by Lockdown Four with a disaster payment for those who have missed a week of work or more.

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.

The Victorian Chamber has today launched a new member-exclusive service, the Grant Finder online tool, to make it quicker and easier for Victorian businesses to access grants applicable to their operations and projects.

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.

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)

Just as Victorians were beginning to enjoy the freedoms we have missed, the State has been plunged into its sixth COVID-19 related lockdown.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes today’s prompt announcement of a new $400 million State and Federal Government support package, which will give businesses the confidence they need to get through Lockdown Six and continue the recovery from Lockdowns Four and Five.

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.

The Federal and State Governments have jointly announced an additional $367 million in financial support payments - primarily targeted towards Metropolitan businesses in lockdown.

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.