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.

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 businesses are devastated by the news that Metropolitan Victoria’s lockdown will be extended indefinitely.

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.

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.

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 State and Federal Governments have today announced a joint financial assistance package for Victorian business which will give them the support and confidence they need to rebound from Lockdowns Four and Five.

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.

Today’s announcement that restrictions will further ease from 11.59 tomorrow, Thursday 17 June, is welcome news that will enable every Victorian business to operate, but the restrictions on Metropolitan Victoria are still too conservative.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes today’s news that most Victorian businesses can operate from 11.59pm tomorrow, 10 June, but will continue to advocate for a snapback to pre-lockdown restrictions. Metropolitan Melbourne will go to Regional Victoria’s current settings while Regional Victoria’s restrictions will be eased even further.

The Victorian Chamber is calling for Lockdown Four to end given the latest developments around two false positives and cases being linked.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes today’s announcement that the Federal Government will provide a one-off disaster payment for vulnerable workers who have been stood down from their jobs or lost casual shifts as a result of the lockdown in Victoria.

It’s not the fault of business that we are locked down again, yet they’re the ones that continue to pay the price. It’s small and medium businesses, the lifeblood of our state, that bear the brunt.

Today’s State Government announcement of a $250 million targeted business support package to compensate businesses for the devastating impact of this fourth COVID-19 lockdown will ease some of the anxiety and worry that businesses and workers have felt since Thursday’s news.

Victorian business was dealt another blow today as the Victorian Government announced a seven-day lockdown and the application of Stage Three restrictions.

The 2021-22 State Budget is fiscally responsible and will address the need for Victorian businesses to reset and recalibrate in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.