Virus-affected businesses urged to seek compensation from state government
Victorian businesses forced to close their doors under the stage four shutdown are being urged to apply for compensation from the state government. But who is eligible?
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Businesses forced to shut during Victoria’s lockdown are being encouraged to pursue compensation from the state government.
Victorian Liberal senator Sarah Henderson said there were potentially thousands of people who may be eligible to be compensated by the state government.
She said the state’s Public Health and Wellbeing Act provided an “incredibly powerful remedy” for compensation for those who had suffered loss under the emergency coronavirus rules.
Senator Henderson said she had “deep concerns” about whether restrictions had been imposed appropriately in Victoria.
“Why is a private contractor prohibited from mowing lawns but such work permitted by a council worker?” she said.
“Why can building and construction workers move freely between places of work but not people working in other occupations? What is the public health rationale for imposing an 8.00pm curfew across Melbourne or harsh restrictions in regional communities where no active cases exist?”
Jim’s Group founder Jim Penman said he was advising all franchisees to apply for compensation.
He said he had sought legal advice from a QC on Tuesday, who indicated they would have a “very, very strong case”.
He said it was likely the state government would knock back each claim but that could then be appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
“VCAT’s not going to be so easy a knockover especially because the reason for throwing everybody out of work is so pathetic and so weak,” he said.
“The fact is you’ve got council workers doing the same job as our guys, they’re safe to work in groups of three, or four or five at a time, why would a single operator not be safe?”
“It’s an unreasonable requirement.”
Mr Penman said he expected VCAT would be “flooded” with thousands of compensation cases.
He said he wished it did not need to reach this point but he was prompted to take a stand because of the “horrifying” impact of Melbourne’s lockdown.
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