Stage Four restrictions – the toughest that Victorians have endured – will apply. The Government has also announced that crowds will no longer be permitted at the Australian Open, which is a regrettable but necessary move.

Five-day lockdowns have proven effective in other states, including NSW and WA, and the Victorian Chamber hopes that this short-term pain will contain the cluster and see Victoria return to COVID normal before more lives, businesses and jobs are lost.

The new mutant COVID-19 strain is clearly posing new challenges and Victoria must respond accordingly. The Victorian Chamber believes that the hotel quarantine system needs to be in a continuous state of evolution. Until an effective vaccine is rolled out globally, quarantine is Victoria’s most important defence against devastating local outbreaks. It is up to the Federal and State Governments to ensure that the quarantine system is constantly under review and when changes are needed, they are quickly implemented.

The latest restrictions come in just before Victorian Parliament was due to reconvene on Monday to deal with the extension of the state of emergency. The state of emergency aligns us with all other Australian states and enables us to operate hotel quarantine. The Victorian Chamber supports the 12-month extension because it provides certainty and enables the government to focus its efforts and attention on containing COVID-19 and the vaccination rollout, scheduled to commence this month.

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

“Today is Groundhog Day for Victorian businesses who are feeling deeply frustrated about the current COVID-19 situation in Victoria and the impact that these latest restrictions will have on their business.

“Victoria must avoid a third wave, and if the public health advice is that restrictions are required to do that, then we have to accept that they are necessary. However, Victorian businesses cannot and should not keep paying the price for the shortcomings in Victoria’s hotel quarantine system.

“This weekend was slated to be one of our busiest for some time, with the Australian Open and other sporting events, Valentine’s Day, weddings and functions planned. Business will once again have to absorb the cost of stock losses, while thousands of Victorians won’t be able to work. It’s another massive blow to our economy which was just starting to get back on its feet.

“The hotel quarantine system needs an urgent redesign. There are a range of solutions that shouldbe on the table, and Australia should be getting our best and brightest minds on to this task immediately.”