Ballarat CBD businesses will be watching GovHub keenly in the weeks to come to see what impact the change of COVID work from home rules will have on the underutilised building.
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On Thursday Victorians were encouraged to return to the office, with the government lifting its work from home recommendation.
With COVID-19 cases falling after last month's Omicron peak, Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the time was right to scrap the recommendation.
"Lifting the work from home recommendation is in line with current public health advice," she said in a statement on Thursday.
"We encourage employers and employees to have a conversation about what's right for their individual needs."
While initially spruiked as bringing 1000 workers into the $50 million investment on Armstrong Street, GovHub has not yet reached that potential.
The building opened btetween lockdowns in April 2021 with multiple state government departmenets meant to make it there new home.
But returning lockdowns and work from home rules issued to the public service have also meant that active workers in the building have fallen well short of this total.
IN July Premier Daniel Andrews has admitted Ballarat's $100 million GovHub was a "pre-COVID investment" that may take some time and changes to fully deliver on what was initially promised but he hoped the flexibility would mena more pubic servants could work from the building rather than commute to Melbourne.
Meanwhile in Thursday's rule changes there are no plans to ditch the state's mask mandate on public transport, despite federal health advice they are no longer needed on planes.
Under changes agreed to at national cabinet on Wednesday, face masks on domestic flights will become voluntary from September 9.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Ms Thomas said it would not prompt the state to reconsider its requirement for masks to be worn on trains, trams and ride-share services.
"I will continue to consider the health advice, but at the moment there are no plans in relation to change there," she told reporters at Victorian parliament on Thursday.
"Masks are a very simple and effective way to reduce the spread of the virus. We've still got COVID in our community. It's important that all members of the community understand that."
Victorians are recommended to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor settings after Ms Thomas in July rejected official health advice to reinstate mask mandates in some areas amid the escalating third Omicron wave.
Cases and hospitalisations have since fallen from more than 12,000 and 900 respectively in July, to 2645 and 332 on Thursday.
While the state is on the downslope of its winter COVID wave, Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said masks are here to stay.
"It may change in the future, but I can't predict that," he said.
"I'm very keen for masks to continue to be a strong feature on driving down infections in Victoria, and particularly driving down infections that may occur on public transport."
- with AAP
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