BUSINESS leaders have vehemently urged the community to play by the rules and help bring an end to tumultuous changes across industry brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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They are frustrated at the many unanswered questions new lockdown laws will bring. They warn the community this will not be like the last stage three restrictions for business.
Regional Victoria goes back under stage three lockdown from Wednesday night and the key difference this time is Melbourne is under tighter stage four rules - and the ripple effects on Ballarat business remains unclear.
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Commerce Ballarat chief Jodie Gillett said her team was working with expert economists to help work through the details.
This comes as Premier Daniel Andrews detailed his "way we work" plan for tougher pandemic restrictions late Monday afternoon in what was a sequel to the "way we live" restrictions dealt on Sunday.
Ms Gillett asked for patience, both in business and from consumers, as finer details for how a lengthy list of changes to business and supply chains will work.
"There are going to be impacts for other industries and sectors we didn't have last time," Ms Gillett said. "We want the community to understand this is a complex time for certain industries - and we're just working out what those complexities are."
There are going to be impacts for other industries and sectors we didn't have last time...we're just working out what those complexities are.
- Commerce Ballarat chief executive Jodie Gillett
Australian Hoteliers Association Victorian president David Canny said hospitality seemed to once again bear a heavy, unfair blow in lockdowns. Mr Canny, who owns Red Lion Hotel, said the association would have encouraged tighter restrictions statewide.
"The pubs have closed but not shopping centres? We reckon we can handle (restrictions) pretty well. We're disappointed fingers are pointed at hospitality again," Mr Canny said. "...We don't want this to go on and on, we want to shut it down and start again."
We don't want this to go on and on, we want to shut it down and start again.
- David Canny, Australian Hoteliers Association Victoria president
Mr Canny said the government needed to offer greater financial support for hospitality and tourism.
The premier announced businesses in regional Victoria could apply for a $5000 grant but Mr Canny said while this could be significant for small business, it was "light-on" for businesses that employs lots of people.
Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton implored people to support each other - and a key part of this was to be disciplined.
Ballarat recorded one new COVID-19 case on Monday, taking to 29 cases and 11 active infections. This is the fifth new Ballarat case within a week.
Mr Poulton warned it would be easy for Ballarat to become complacent because coronavirus case numbers were so low. He said we could not rely on luck to avoid further escalation.
"The business impact, clearly there are implications all the way along, but always, for me, what's the broader community impact, and how are they working through challenges?" Mr Poulton said.
"Support each other, but be disciplined. We've all seen behaviours that don't look so good...Ballarat's lucky to have those low numbers, let's not risk that by being complacent."
We've all seen behaviours that don't look so good...Ballarat's lucky to have those low numbers, let's not risk that by being complacent.
- Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton
This is a message reiterated by City of Ballarat mayor Ben Taylor who said the latest restriction updates on Monday were again frustrating, especially when this region had been doing so well.
"I really feel for businesses at the moment thinking people were coming back," Cr Taylor said. "The big thing now, is where we can support businesses, and making sure the government has got those support mechanisms in place."
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