Cases low, open up: CBA chief

The chief of Australia’s biggest bank, Matt Comyn, has joined a chorus of business and political leaders pushing for industry to be reopened in Melbourne.

Matt Comyn says many of the ­industries forced to shut would be able to minimise the risk of ­transmission. Picture: Britta Campion

The chief of Australia’s biggest bank, Matt Comyn, has joined a chorus of business and political leaders pushing for industry to be reopened in Melbourne, increasing pressure on Daniel Andrews to fast-track the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.

Mr Comyn, the Commonwealth Bank chief executive, retailer Gerry Harvey and Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad on Monday seized on Victoria’s low case numbers to suggest businesses should be allowed to open and they would be able to mitigate the risk of another wave of infection.

Victoria has seen consecutive days of single-digit virus infections, and has recorded fewer cases than NSW since October 13.

In a complicated and at-times contradictory road map announced by the Victorian Premier on Sunday, retail deemed non-essential will remain closed until 11.59pm on November 1, while the hospitality sector remains restricted to takeaway trade only.

Mr Comyn said he understood the Victorian government was trying to avoid a rebound in case numbers, but said many of the industries forced to shut would be able to minimise the risk of ¬transmission.

“They’re obviously trying to mitigate the risks that they see or foresee could lead to a rebound in cases, but based on the level of cases at the moment — it certainly would provide a lot of encouraging support to be able to open the restrictions faster,” Mr Comyn told the Trans-Tasman business circle forum on Monday.

“Certainly in some sectors, where those risks could be probably quite well mitigated, there is a lot of encouragement from us and all businesses around the country, and particularly in Victoria, to help them get ¬restarted.”

Mr Comyn said the lockdown was having a sharp impact on small business, with Melbourne bearing the brunt of the pandemic. “much more harshly than other parts of the country”.

Victoria recorded four new cases on Monday as well as one new death, bringing the state’s 14-day rolling average to 7.2

Over the past seven days, Victoria has recorded 34 new cases, while NSW, which is not in lockdown, has had 59.

Mr Harvey, the Harvey Norman executive chairman, said there was no need for stores to -remain shut until November 2, describing the restrictions as “overkill”.

“When you’re in charge of a business or a state or a country or whatever you’re in charge of, you’ve got to be responsible but you’re not allowed to do overkill, because that makes you irresponsible as well,” Mr Harvey said.

He said the retailer had managed to remain open in every state and territory without ever being linked to a coronavirus case.

“I don’t understand — the logic of that is just not there but again, that’s what they’re doing [and] they’re in charge,” Mr Harvey said. “I’m not in charge, so I’ve got to do what I’m told but I’m not happy about it because we’ve been closed in Melbourne for nearly four months.”

Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad criticised the Victorian government for delays in opening up the state‘s economy, saying they had been “massively too slow”.

“The economy is hurting and we’re leaving a legacy for a generation or two to come after us,” he said. “We can’t let the ¬economy — while we need all the right precautions to make sure we’re doing the right thing — we’ve got to make the economy move. If consumption of electricity is any guide to what is happening out there, activity is way down, so it is a concern for all of us. Some of us have lived through a few recessions and it’s very uncomfortable.”

On Sunday Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott also condemned the slow pace of Victorian reopening suggesting it was hard to see the logic behind the new rules.

“It’s still difficult to understand the rationale for some of the changes and ongoing business restrictions from a public health and wellbeing perspective,’’ Mr Scott said. “You can go to the hairdresser or a skatepark and have more freedom to travel but you can’t go to your local Bunnings warehouse.’’

Additional reporting: Remy Varga