It’s free to join the Victorian Chamber Community!

Sign up and receive the latest business news and updates, opportunities to network and shape Advocacy from Victoria’s largest and most influential partner.

It’s free to join the Victorian Chamber Community!

Home
/
News
/

Support needed for business paying the price of another quarantine breach

13 February 2021

economyhealth safety and wellbeing

With the circuit-breaker lockdown now in place to prevent any further spread of COVID-19, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Victorian Chamber) is urging the State Government to provide targeted support to the industries directly affected.

JUMP TO:
JUMP TO:

For many businesses, the Valentine’s Day weekend, which also saw the return of crowds at Flemington Racecourse, crowds at the Australian Open, Chinese New Year celebrations and countless weddings and functions that were due to be held following last year’s delays, was going to be their busiest in a year.

Across the state, venues and business owners had ordered significant levels of stock to meet the demand which has now been abruptly taken away from them. Worse still, these are the businesses that have been most impacted by the limit on workers allowed to return to offices and restrictions on travel.

Victorian businesses have endured enough over the last year and cannot keep paying the cost of failures in hotel quarantine and contact tracing. The bottom line is business owners need immediate support to ensure they can get back to work after this snap lockdown. Businesses are suffering through no fault of their own, and must be supported financially. There are livelihoods and jobs at stake.

Once the lockdown is over, Victorian businesses will need certainty to continue to operate. In a COVID-19 environment that certainty can only be delivered through an ironclad quarantine system, more effective contact tracing and a rapid rollout of the best vaccinations available.

To be attributed to Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Paul Guerra:

“Victorian businesses need certainty that this lockdown will end after the five-day timeline with Victoria returning to COVID Normal on Thursday. Business needs this reassurance to prepare to welcome staff and patrons back and secure stock and other logistics.

“The Victorian Chamber is urging the State Government to provide targeted support for hospitality venues to compensate for perished food and cancellation costs not covered by insurance for the affected sectors. Without this, the reality is doors will close indefinitely and jobs will be lost.

“A robust and reliable quarantine system and the effective roll-out of a vaccine is the best opportunity we have to provide the confidence that businesses need to invest and employ so that we can rebuild the economy. We need clarity on both aspects.”

Related articles

digital and cyber

Federal Budget Submission: Business growth to build the economy

Accelerating investment in business and education, urgent tax reform, increased clarity about the reliability, cost and path to net zero and turbo charging Regional Victoria are among the recommendations in the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 2024-25 Federal Budget Submission.

28 March 2024

digital and cyber

Victorian Chamber backs cyber degree apprenticeships

The Victorian Chamber has launched a Cyber Degree Apprenticeships Thought Leadership Report that outlines the need for better integration between the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and higher education systems to provide aspiring cyber professionals with real-world experience during their studies.

26 March 2024

economy

Commercial stamp duty phased out in 2024

Stamp duty on commercial and industrial property will be phased out in 2024 after the Victorian Government finalised the transition towards a property tax system.

20 March 2024

health safety and wellbeing

Is Victoria too lenient on OHS offences?

Victoria’s Sentencing Advisory Council has released a consultation paper exploring potential reforms to the sentencing of occupational health and safety (OHS) offences.

22 February 2024

Memberships for wherever you are in business

Hard times. Good times. Crunch time. Growth time. We’re here to support you at all those pivotal times in your business life. We’ve now tailored our range of memberships to fit wherever you are in business – today and well into the future.

Let’s go
Memberships for wherever you are in business

Restricted Page

You are being redirected to our login page!