With 67 active cases of COVID-19 across Victoria and hundreds of exposure sites as of 2 June, the Victorian Government has made the call to extend the latest lockdown by seven days for Metropolitan Melbourne while easing restrictions in Regional Victoria.

After announcing a $250.7 million Circuit Breaker Business Support Package, the State Government will add a further $209.3 million in financial support, bringing the total to $460 million in support for eligible businesses.

“This is hard for everyone, and this extra support means businesses can be in a position to recover strongly once their doors reopen,” said Acting Premier James Merlino in a statement.

In the extended lockdown, the five-kilometre restriction on leaving home will be extended to 10 kilometres as year 11 and 12 students will return to face-to-face learning. The five reasons to leave home will continue to be in place for Metropolitan Melbourne:

• Shopping for food or essential items (within a five-kilometre radius of your home)
• To provide caregiving or medical treatment
• For exercise (outdoor only and only with one person in your household)
• Work or study if not possible from home
• To get a COVID-19 vaccine

Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra said Victoria’s business and worker emergency had intensified as a result of the news.

“Today’s lockdown four extension has intensified Victoria’s business and worker emergency. We need a clear path out of this lockdown that will see a return to the level of restrictions that we had in place prior to this fourth lockdown. We know businesses are ready to do whatever is required to ensure that we can open up again,” he said.

“Victorians need and deserve transparency and clarity on what the parameters are to go into lockdown and what we need to achieve to open up again. How can we come together as a community and keep our business, jobs and learning alive while keeping Victorians safe?”

Financial support for business

The original Circuit Breaker Business Support Package featured three key support measures:

• Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two
• Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021
• Victorian Events Support Package

While 90,000 businesses across Victoria are eligible for support as part of the original $250 million package, only businesses in Metropolitan Melbourne will be eligible for the $209 million extension.

The Business Costs Assistance Program grants of $2,500 for eligible businesses directly affected by the industry restrictions will be doubled to $5,000 for eligible businesses in Metropolitan Melbourne. Regional businesses that are unable to open due to ongoing restrictions will also be eligible for the extension payment.

The Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund grants of $3,500 for businesses holding an eligible liquor license and food certificate will also be doubled to $7,000 for eligible businesses in metropolitan Melbourne.

The Victorian Government have said in a statement that details on the $20 million Events Support Package for operators in the events industry will be provided shortly.

Applications for the Business Costs Assistance Program and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund are scheduled to open on Thursday 3 June – including for regional businesses applying under the original package – and be open until 11.59pm on 24 June 2021.

Metro Melbourne versus regional Victoria restrictions

As Lockdown 4.0 continues, restrictions will be eased in Regional Victoria as Metropolitan Melbourne endures the tough lockdown measures. Acting Premier James Merlino has announced that from 3 June, not all restrictions will be equal, including:

Retail: While essential services can remain open in Metropolitan Melbourne, and others allowed to operate a click-and collect business, regional areas will be able to open with density quotients of one person per 4sq meters and mandatory QR codes.

Hospitality: As Melbourne restaurants and cafés can operate a take-away and delivery business, regional areas will be able to open for up to 50 people per venue, with maximum group sizes of 10 people and density limits of one person per 4sq meters.

Masks: Protective masks will remain mandatory outdoors and indoors and in Melbourne, but regional areas will only require the wearing of masks outside when physical distancing isn’t possible.

Weddings and funerals: Regional areas will now be allowed to host weddings with up to 10 people, including the couple, celebrant and witness. There will be no change to the restriction on weddings in Melbourne, except for compassionate reasons.

Jobs: Despite the extended lockdown, several outdoor jobs will be added to the authorised worker list in Metropolitan Melbourne including landscaping, painting and solar panel installation. There will be no restriction on types of work allowed in Regional Victoria.

More information and help

For more information about what requirements are in place and what resources are available for your business, visit the Victorian Chamber’s COVID-19 resources page here.

As always, the most up-to-date information about restrictions are available on the Victoria Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) website. For information about how restrictions affect your business, visit the Business Victoria website.

If you, as an employer or an employer’s representative feel unsure about what your organisation has in place or would like help in putting a plan in place, please do not hesitate to contact the Victorian Chamber’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) team on 03 8662 5196.

Members can also call our Workplace Relations Advice Line on 03 8662 5222 to discuss their employment obligations and any issues that arise.