It's hoped more people will be working from Ballarat's central business district after the state government dropped its working from home recommendations.
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Commerce Ballarat chief Jodie Gillett said there were now no excuses for public service employers based at the Mair Street GovHub building.
"Our businesses need them back in the office today," she said.
"I think private enterprise have been back in their offices for a long time - we want to see all levels of government back in their offices, back in the city, heading out for lunch and coffee."
A media release from Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, which was released late on Thursday, includes a line stating the state government "is encouraging Victorians to safely return to the office" for a "further boost to economies like the Melbourne CBD".
In short, during the peak period of COVID transmission in the winter, office workers were "recommended" to work from home where possible.
"The advice from the Department of Health is that this pressure and transmission risk has reduced," the release states.
"Employers and staff may still consider remote working arrangements that are most appropriate for their workplace and employees based on individual requirements."
However, even though the GovHub was built with a capacity for 1000 workers, anecdotally many are still working from home.
The official advice for public servants is three days a week in the office.
"The Victorian Public Service has a flexible work policy - employers will work with employees on changes based on their individual circumstances," a state government spokesperson said.
Several businesses in the area said they remained hopeful the situation would change, but so far the expected boost through lunches, coffees, and meetings had not arrived.
Some mentioned they had heard the GovHub was often only a quarter-full most days.
"Mid-week's been really tough on a lot of businesses - weekends have been good, we have good tourism coming and our own community getting out - but mid-week is tough, and we need everybody back in their offices," Ms Gillett said.
"We just know, a full GovHub in Mair Street with those people spilling out onto our CBD, it makes a difference."
The $50 million Ballarat GovHub was officially opened in April 2021, promising hundreds of new jobs from Melbourne at different government agencies.
As well as the VicRoads customer service centre, hundreds of staff from the VicRoads Wendouree office, as well as the State Revenue Office in Mount Helen, moved to GovHub.
Other tenants in the building include Regional Development Victoria, the Department of Education, the Department of Justice's Working With Children Check office, parts of the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning, and Consumer Affairs Victoria.
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In July, Premier Daniel Andrews admitted the 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 mean more pubic servants could work from the building, rather than commute to and from 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.
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.
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.
- with AAP
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