It was the right decision to ease restrictions for Regional Victoria with thousands of primary close contacts cleared from the regions over the last few weeks. The State Government should lift restrictions the moment it is safe to do so, and the Victorian Chamber welcomes this swift move. 

Like them or not, lockdowns are 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. The good news is the weather is improving, vaccination rates are increasing, and more doses are on their way – including the addition of Moderna from next month. 

However, my concern is how far we are falling behind in vaccination rates. The longer it takes for Victoria to get to 80 per cent vaccinated, the longer we risk being in lockdowns, which none of us want to be in. The data shows we are on track to reach 80 per cent in Victoria by the middle of December – approximately three weeks behind NSW and also slower than Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. 

There is a common feeling among most Victorians to get this done so we don’t have to contemplate lockdowns any longer. Businesses have been innovative and responsive in their efforts to encourage staff with incentives ranging from time off work to meal and entertainment vouchers, but we still need to accelerate the education and take up of the vaccine. The business community stands ready to assist in any way it can. 

Repeated lockdowns will continue to cripple business and the only light at the end of the tunnel is achieving the vaccination target. The medical fraternity tell us it’s safe to get the jab, so let’s roll up our sleeves. Then, it is time to be a little bolder with lockdowns given what we know. This is not to take away the health guidance, but it is about engaging with the business and wider community sectors to play a more significant role. I’ve been working through some ideas with the business community and will share my plan with you very soon. 

We surveyed members this week on their viewpoints on the vaccine ranging from workplace policies to greater freedoms for vaccinated Australians. We have had an overwhelming response in less than 24 hours, and I thank each and every one of you who contributed. So far, there is revealing data on business attitudes towards supporting mandatory vaccines in some workplaces compared to other scenarios such as events. We will be sharing the results once the data is collated so keep an eye out on our website and social media accounts. These surveys play a vital role in shaping our conversations and advocacy on your behalf. 

Finally, in case you missed it, solo outdoor services related to building and construction have been added to the Authorised Provider and Authorised Worker list. This is a fantastic outcome for businesses such as solar panel installers, roofers or house painters which can resume an outdoor service in occupied premises during lockdown. Please check the State Government’s website for more details. 

Victorian Chamber Events 

We hit a big milestone for the Victoria Summit 2021 last week when we held our Vision Day online. It was great to see so many of you who attended share your positive experience, especially at a time when we couldn’t be together, and contribute to what was an engaging, uplifting, and worthwhile discussion. We also launched ticket sales for our upcoming Pathways Day, so make sure you head to the Summit website to book your place. 

While our in-person events have been put on hold, we are running some important online workshop series for your business. The Introduction to Victoria’s New Environment Protection Act workshops kick off tomorrow. In these free, interactive, 90-minute workshops we will discuss the new laws and how your business needs to respond to them.  

Next week we will kick off our Vietnam on the Map workshops with support from Vietnam Economic Strategy Team of DFAT to address opportunities and challenges in the Vietnamese market. Head to our website for full details on these series that will run over the coming weeks. 

Stay safe and enjoy the week ahead. 

Regards,  

Paul.