State government slammed for ‘lazy’ robocall rollout to check on businesses’ COVID-safe plans

More than 100,000 automated calls have been made to check up on businesses’ COVID-safe plans, prompting fears people will think it’s a scam.

There are fears businesses will think calls from Business Victoria are scams. Picture: David Crosling

The state government has come under fire after it rolled out an automated call service to check if businesses have implemented a COVID-safe plan but it’s been slammed as being “sloppy” and “lazy”.

Business Victoria has made more than 100,000 calls as part of its education campaign to check Victorian businesses are operating safely since reopening but there’s fears it could be mistaken as a scam.

Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia’s chief executive officer Peter Strong said most people would simply hang up when receiving one of these calls.

“Businesses are warned about cyber security and scams,” he said.

“100,000 nuisance calls have been made but as soon as you hear it’s a robocall you just hang up, it’s not very clever.

“The government is just going to say how good they are by making 100,000 calls but it’s just pressing a button.”

Mr Strong said businesses should be contacted directly by a human via phone or in person to ensure they had a COVIDsafe plan in place.

Cyber safety expert Susan McLean also said if people received a robocall they would immediately end the call without even knowing what it was about.

“It’s a quick way to get to people because they don’t have to have someone there ringing every person and having a conversation with them,” she said.

“It’s sloppy. I can’t imagine anyone would listen through.”

The calls started on October 28 and will finish on Monday.

But a spokesman for Victorian Small Business Minister Jaala Pulford defended the calls and said they are being made “to help inform operators that every business must have and operate according to a COVIDsafe plan”.

“If anyone suspects that they have received a scam call they should contact Business Victoria on 13 22 15.

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