Daniel Andrews delivers devastating blow for struggling tourism and hospitality sectors
Instead of focusing on getting the state moving again, Daniel Andrews is fixated on illiberal restrictions, and his latest betrayal will crush businesses.
Rita Panahi
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Dan Andrews’ pathological indifference to the plight of the private sector was on display again this week. Perhaps the Premier, a member of Labor’s Socialist Left faction, prefers to have a greater percentage of the population dependent on the state or perhaps he is just pig-ignorant of what it takes to survive when taxpayers aren’t picking up the tab.
The public sector bureaucracy has exploded under his reign while he has implemented the harshest and longest lockdowns, giving Melbourne the dishonour of being the world’s most locked-down city.
The Premier’s latest betrayal of the business sector came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia’s borders would finally re-open on February 21 to all visa holders who were double vaccinated. But apparently that is not good enough for Victoria, where Premier Andrews wants only triple-vaxxed arrivals to have access to retail, hospitality and other services.
Premier Andrews’ pronouncement that only boosted international arrivals would be welcome in Victoria is a devastating blow for the state’s struggling tourism and hospitality sectors. It is evident Andrews does not want to relinquish control even as the virus moves into the endemic stage. He has made it clear that he wants mandates extended and for the definition of fully vaccinated to change from two doses to three.
If Andrews gets his way, those who are double jabbed could soon be considered unvaccinated and lose their job as well as access to a range of services and venues.
Instead of focusing his energies on getting the state moving again, the Premier remains fixated on illiberal restrictions, from mask mandates to delaying return to work orders.
We’re no longer in lockdown but Melbourne CBD remains a ghost town, with many of the surviving businesses on the brink. The pleas of business owners continue to fall on deaf ears as the most anti-business leader in the country maintains a firm grip on the state.
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