Businesses say Andrews government’s map out of lockdown is a ‘dog’s breakfast’

Businesses say Dan Andrews’ map out of lockdown is a “dog’s breakfast” and believe his government has ignored the national reopening plan.

Businesses have pilloried the state’s roadmap out of lockdown as a “dog’s breakfast of a plan”.

Shops will only be allowed to open for outdoor service and click and collect when the state reaches the 70 per cent double dose milestone and entertainment venues will only be allowed to have 50 vaccinated people outdoors.

In NSW businesses will be allowed to reopen at 25 per cent capacity when the same target is met.

Small Business Australia executive director Bill Lang said Premier Daniel Andrews had given businesses false hope they would be allowed to re-open.

“Instead of a roadmap, what we have is a dog’s breakfast of a plan that seems to have been scribbled on the back of scrap paper as the key players brawled with each other, filled with inconsistent rules,” Mr Lang said.

“It includes the greatest fear of small business families – ongoing restrictions even once the 80 per cent vaccination targets are reached.

“Instead of following the world, which has seen country after country ditch restrictions and get on with life once everyone who chooses to be vaccinated can be vaccinated – we have crippling lockdowns continuing.”

Owner of Sochi Hair Peter Dorio has two words to describe Sunday’s roadmap: gut-wrenching. Picture: Wayne Taylor

He said he would love to see the health advice that said it was OK for unionised industries such as construction to continue to trade, while businesses were forced to close. He said it was no wonder Victorians were fleeing the state in record numbers.

The road map came under similar fire from the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which called it a “roadmap of road blocks”.

Both organisations have pushed for businesses to resume normal trade at 80 per cent vaccination.

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra said the road map was “disappointing” and said it would cost businesses $6bn.

“Discretionary retail has been the hardest hit throughout the pandemic,” Mr Zahra said. “Many small retail businesses are on the brink of financial, emotional and mental health collapse.

“Sadly, they’ll be closed for at least another seven weeks, while other sections of the economy can open and trade at 70 per cent double dose.”

Campaign group Save Victorian Events also levelled criticism at the plan for not including business events in the table of restrictions.

“It is beyond bizarre to suggest that conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, product launches and brand activations are just part of ‘entertainment and leisure’,” a spokesman said.

“This trivialises the important role that business events play in Victoria’s economy.”

Hospitality boss James Sinclair has an ambitious plan to reopen his venues for the grand final – to vaccinated patrons. Picture: David Caird

DAN ‘IGNORING’ NATIONAL REOPENING PLAN

The pub sector has accused the state government of ignoring the national Covid-19 reopening plan, with many venues unlikely to reopen when we hit 70 per cent double vaccination.

Pubs and restaurants will be able to serve only a maximum of 50 fully vaccinated people outdoors, with no stand-up drinking allowed, when the state hits the 70 per cent target.

They will be allowed to have up to 150 people indoors and 500 outdoors when we reach 80 per cent double doses, but patrons will still be required to sit down.

Australian Venue Co chief executive Paul Waterson, whose company owns more than 30 venues in Victoria, said fewer than half of Melbourne’s pubs would reopen at 70 per cent because they either did not have beer gardens or would lose money.

Paul Waterson and Paul Capovilla outside the Duke of Wellington hotel in Melbourne. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“While closed they lose about $30,000 a week and the further delays are just cruel to an industry that will be closed for more than 250 days in the past 18 months,” Mr Waterson said.

“If you look at a pub like the Duke of Wellington, it doesn’t have an outdoor area and even if you could get 50 people in, it’s about 7 per cent of our ­licensed capacity.

“This doesn’t take into account the multiple sides and layers of the industry.” He said there had been “zero consultation” on the roadmap. “We’ve really considered the healthcare requirements and given that commitment we made, we think we’ve met our side of the bargain,” he said.

The Australian Hotels Association also came out swinging, with president David Canny saying he was “gutted” by the roadmap.

“If a venue is required to have vaccinated staff and customers, why are the patron numbers so restrictive,” Mr Canny said. “The logic is flawed. The government wants a vaccination model. If people can get to a pub once they’re jabbed, it will help the government achieve their goals.”

He accused the government of not following the opening-up plan agreed to by national cabinet.

“We don’t want Victoria lagging behind other states when we can be part of the solution to getting Victoria back on track,” he said.

PULLING HIS HAIR OUT

Hairdresser Peter Dorio, owner of Sochi Hair, has two words to describe Sunday’s road map: gut-wrenching.

He said he felt “nauseous” after finding out his salon Sochi Hair wouldn’t be allowed to reopen until late October.

“I just thought ‘you’ve got to be joking’,” he said.

“The goalposts have been shifted again.”

He had hoped he’d be back to cutting hair and “making people feel great about themselves” in two weeks.

He said government support hadn’t even covered one quarter of his lost revenue and he’d had to dip into his savings.

“Financially, we’ll never catch up,” he said.

Mr Dorio said he was worried for his employees and knew he was not the only hairdresser struggling.

“I’ve been inundated with hundreds of text messages and private messages … they’re all hurting,” he said.

GYMS LEFT HANGING

Melburnians aching to get back to the gym could have to wait until early November, when indoor fitness centres can reopen to more than 100 vaccinated people.

A road map released on Sunday did not specifically mention gyms for 80 per cent of vaccinated people aged 16 years and over, sparking some confusion about how they will be allowed to reopen.

Activities under the “physical recreation” category will be allowed to resume indoors in Melbourne once 80 per cent of people aged 16 years and over are fully vaccinated.

On this date — predicted to be November 5 — 150 double-dosed people will be allowed at indoor physical recreation facilities, with 500 fully vaccinated customers permitted outdoors.

Regional Victoria will be able to open its doors to the same amount of people on this date, but they will have had a much more staggered approach beforehand.

While Melburnians will have been locked out of gyms for weeks until they suddenly reopen to 150 people, gyms are currently open in regional Victoria.

Except for those in regional lockdowns, they can have up to 10 people indoors at a time, or 20 if they are outside.

Once 70 per cent of people 16 and over are fully vaccinated — predicted to be October 26 — regional indoor gyms will be able to open to 30 fully vaccinated people.

It comes after gym owners last year campaigned heavily to reopen and argued they had been unfairly forced to stay closed longer than other businesses.

Many centres warned they were facing bankruptcy and that gyms were important for their customers’ mental health.

Originally published as Businesses say Andrews government’s map out of lockdown is a ‘dog’s breakfast’