Coronavirus: state on edge for easing of Dan bans

Victorian’s Daniel Andrews establishes a corovavirus hit squad to stamp out outbreaks as he prepares a road map out of restrictions.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrew’s latest announcement has arrived comes amid growing business and community unrest over the government’s resistance to relaxing coronavirus restrictions. Picture: AAP

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has established a coronavirus hit squad to stamp out outbreaks ahead of Monday’s much anticipated announcement of the state’s path out of the nation’s strictest lockdown regime.

Mr Andrews announced a $20m boost to establish new “rapid ­response teams” to prevent, ­respond to and limit COVID-19 outbreaks.

That comes after the number of cases linked to a cluster at Melbourne abattoir Cedar Meats rose to 76, after the ­Andrews government last week conceded it had taken a ­worker’s claim that he had not ­attended work at the site “on face value” when he was diagnosed more than three weeks before a second Cedar Meats case was ­detected.

Gatherings of up to 10 people in homes and outside, a resumption of intrastate travel and of AFL training, are also expected to be announced this week, with the AFL season set to return as early as June 11. But the announcement comes amid growing business and community unrest over the government’s resistance to relaxing coronavirus restrictions.

Victoria Police issued 72 fines in the 24 hours to 11pm on Saturday and 61 during the same period on Friday, compared with just 13 on Thursday, in a sign more Victorians are willing to break lockdown laws as they see them being ­relaxed interstate.

The Australian Industry Group on Sunday called for national consistency in the ­relaxation of coronavirus rules.

Mr Andrews’s announcement, follows his ­description of the three-stage relaxation plan handed down by the national cabinet on Friday as a “menu” from which he “will choose the elements … and the ­respective timing for the rollout of each of those elements that best suit Victoria”.

AiGroup Victorian director Tim Piper said his organisation wanted to see “as much consistency across the ­nation as possible” for the sake of business and jobs.

“So the sooner Victoria moves, the more comfortable we will be,” Mr Piper said.

As speculation mounts that Mr Andrews will this week announce an end to home schooling and a ­return of students to school in a fortnight, Mr Piper said the state government’s approach on the issue had “significantly” affected industry.

“People are not really able to home-school and work from home or go to work,” he said.

“It’s a real imposition on ­people, even if we understand the reasons for it. We’d like to see a certain date given for return.”

The Andrews government declined to comment on, but did not dispute, reports on Sunday that it plans to announce a staggered ­return to the classroom from May 25, with years 11 and 12 and preps and grade ones given first priority.

Mr Piper said any measure that would encourage people to leave their area and go for a drive would be welcomed by business.

“That’s useful for both people’s mental health, and for the businesses they might visit,” he said.

However, he warned that allowing small groups into restaurants and hotels that had previously had much larger capacity would have limited benefits.

He said business was concerned at low order numbers coming in for June, July and August.

“Companies came into this with orders, they’ve fulfilled those, but we’re not seeing those orders regenerated,” Mr Piper said.

“That’s a really important reason to get businesses up and running again.”

At a press conference on Sunday, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos refused to give any details of what Monday's announcement was likely to include.

“That’s why the Premier’s not here. He will be making those announcements tomorrow, and I’m very much looking forward to that,” Ms ­Mikakos said.