The Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews has backed down on certain COVID-19 lockdown restrictions for businesses before they were even enforced, after facing fierce opposition from some of the state’s business leaders.
Under the revised restrictions, supermarkets are allowed to meet the new requirements by adjusting work arrangements, instead of having to downsize distribution centres by a third. Businesses have until Sunday to implement these changes.
There have also been major concessions made for businesses in building and construction, metal work, flower growing, poultry farming, seafood and small abattoirs.
“It was a very long night, very late night trying to settle these matters but I’m very grateful to them,” Premier Andrews told the Australian Financial Review.
“This is always going to be an imperfect process, it’s never been done before. There will always be further changes based on further feedback we get based on how it is running.”
Before the Victorian state government backflipped on the harsher rules, they received widespread criticism from business owners.
“It is like they made it up the night before… and it has been disappointing, given that Victoria is a constructions and property industry-driven state… and one that employees 40,000 people,” Property Developer Tim Gurner told The Australian.
