Regional businesses’ lockdown letter to Premier Daniel Andrews

Regional Victorian business groups have joined forces to pen an open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews, which addresses their concerns over possible lockdowns in the future.

The Hotel Shamrock Bendigo director Mark Marantelli. Picture: Contributed.

Regional Victorian business leaders have ramped up their concerns over “one-size-fits-all” lockdowns by collectively writing to Premier Daniel Andrews.

Several community organisations and chambers of commerce — representing businesses from Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Wodonga and other parts of regional Victoria — took the extraordinary step of penning a letter to the Premier this week, calling on him to not “unnecessarily” force the closure of businesses in areas which don’t have any current COVID cases.

“A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may have been necessary given the presence of the uncertainty of the UK strain of the virus, but a total shutdown of the economy cannot be the only answer,” the letter said.

Sam and Elise Rowe, owners of the Hydrant Food Hall.

“Businesses and livelihoods suffer unnecessarily when a statewide shutdown is imposed and the impact of this is disproportional when considering metropolitan, regional and rural areas.”

Local businesses have backed the organisations’ calls for the State Government to be more considerate of regional areas after this month’s five-day lockdown had a devastating impact on trade.

Hotel Shamrock director Mark Marantelli said the recent emergency restrictions cost his business more than $25,000 in rental costs and lost bookings.

“NSW had an outbreak in the northern beaches so they locked down the northern beaches,” Mr Marantelli said.

“They didn’t lock down Bourke, or Dubbo because they are 400km away.

“If they have four cases in Marlo would they shut down Mildura, which is 1000km away?”

In Ballarat, Sam Rowe, co-owner of the Hydrant Food Hall, said regional businesses had “proved” they could safely trade during lockdown and said more notice was needed from the government.

“Because we have it under control now … they should lockdown suburbs rather than the entire state,” he said.

“We were just starting to get our cash flow in order … it’s taken us two and half months really to get back up and running and then it gets taken away.”

Mildura Paddle Steamers, a business operating on NSW water but taking passengers from the Victorian side of the Murray River, was again forced to shut down because of the latest lockdown.

Ashton Kreuzer, left, from Mildura Paddle Steamers in front of the Mundoo.

Marketing manager Ashton Kreuzer said bookings on days after the lockdown were also affected, as customers changed plans to avoid travelling through Mildura.

“Even now it’s slow to pick up … there’s that fear I guess for people to lock stuff in before getting here,” she said.

Along with the organisations’ letter calling for a more “nuanced approach when shutting down the state”, they have asked the government for greater clarity and consistency for restrictions at each stage of lockdown.

Better communication between government agencies and businesses on lockdown restrictions, along with how border communities are impacted, were also addressed.

A spokeswoman for the Office of the Premier acknowledged the recent lockdown had been “frustrating”.

“We are especially aware of the challenges faced by regional and rural communities and the impact on businesses but we must act quickly to slow the spread of this deadly virus and keep Victorians safe,” she said.

“The circuit breaker action was designed to be short and sharp with fewer exceptions – which allowed us to get ahead of the hyper-infectious UK strain.

“Any changes to restrictions is based on expert public health advice and this has been our approach every step of the way during this global pandemic.”

Organisations represented in the letter included community-based committees for Ballarat, Echuca-Moama, Geelong, Gippsland, Greater Shepparton and Portland.

The letter was also written on behalf of Commerce Ballarat, Ballarat Regional Tourism, Apollo Bay Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Be Bendigo, Business Horsham, Business Wodonga, Colac & District Chamber of Commerce, Geelong Chamber of Commerce, Hamilton Regional Business Association, Lakes Entrance Business & Tourism Association and Port Fairy and Region Tourism.