We congratulate the Federal Parliament - the Morrison Government, Opposition and cross bench - for their speed, diligence and collaboration in securing this critical support package.

Much needed payments will now start flowing through to Victorian workers, keeping them engaged to their employer and connected to their jobs during this crisis.

The Victorian Chamber advocated for the wage subsidy as the coronavirus crisis unfolded, as our members told us this was needed to help keep people employed.

We delivered members’ feedback on the proposed scheme to the Federal Government to ensure its design reflected what businesses needed for JobKeeper to be understandable, fair and accessible to as many employers as possible.

We acknowledge that JobKeeper won’t save every business and every job at risk during this crisis, but the scale of stimulus measures in place will give businesses a lifeline to help them make it through to the other side.

What many businesses need to do now is consider the current landscape and, if they can, operate within that. We know that there will be a ‘new normal’ post COVID-19 and businesses need to look for ways to conduct their business now and plan ahead.

The Victorian Chamber’s weekly webinar series is a great way to access relevant and timely information that can help you with your planning process.

This week we were delighted to be joined by Professor Paul Wood AO from Monash University who discussed how Australia is working to fight coronavirus and what to expect over the coming months.

I want to thank Paul for his insightful and candid commentary - answering questions ranging from vaccines, to COVID-19 modelling, plus when and how business can begin to operate again. If you missed it, please head to our website and watch the replay.

I’m excited to confirm that our guest on our upcoming webinar is 2019 International Gin Producer of the Year recipient, Four Pillars Gin - the distillery that has changed its operations from making the gin they are famous for, to producing much needed hand sanitiser.

We’ll also be discussing how businesses can start thinking about how they will resume operating in a new environment. I encourage members to register free and tune in on Wednesday 15 April.

On a final note, although the Easter long-weekend will be a little less traditional for some this year, and unlike any we have experienced before, I hope you all find a way to reach out by phone or online to your family and friends over the four day break.