Coronavirus: What’s plan B, business asks Daniel Andrews

In Melbourne’s Yarraville, the vibrant community spirit that saw the neighbourhood recently dubbed one of the ‘coolest’ in the world is being put to the test.

Roselyn Moncrieff and daughter Willow, 10, at her shop. Picture: Aaron Francis

In Melbourne’s inner-west pocket of Yarraville, the vibrant community spirit that saw the neighbourhood recently dubbed one of the “coolest” in the world is being put to the test.

Entering the 11th week of what was initially meant to be a six-week lockdown, and with no ­tangible end in sight, the smiles underneath the masks are starting to wane.

“I think everyone’s just over it now,” said Roselyn Moncrieff, owner of fashion boutique Lonni, which was forced to close its doors to customers on August 5.

“I lie awake losing sleep over it, trying to analyse what the govern­ment is going to do next and won­dering how much longer we can go on stuck in limbo.”

And she’s not alone.

When Premier Daniel Andrews declared a fortnight ago that the state appeared to be getting on top of its coronavirus cases and signalled that an earlier easing of stage four restrictions would likely to be unveiled on October 18, many Victorian businesses started making plans.

In nearby Seddon, Andy Smith figured he’d be able to open his Luxsmith restaurant and bar in time for the AFL grand final and began interviewing for staff.

But within hours of the latest COVID-19 report on Monday revealing that the state’s 14-day rolling average had risen and was now double the targeted figure of five, he was on the phone to the disappointed job applicants, letting them know their positions were now uncertain.

With Victorian case numbers seemingly stuck in the low-to-mid teens, as clusters linked to the Box Hill Hospital and family outbreaks continue to spread, Mr Andrews has reiterated any restrictions set to ease on Sunday will relate to social activities rather than business.

The retail sector in particular should not expect any significant changes, the Premier said.

However, businesses are wondering how long the government expects them to be able to sustain the status quo.

Despite offering take away food and beverages, Luxsmith’s trade is down 60 per cent. If not for JobKeeper, Mr Smith would have shut his doors. “We’re just hanging in there,” he said. “I think it’s pretty obvious we’re not going to get to the five cases so we’re going to have to find a way of learning to live with this.”

Mrs Moncrieff, whose online sales are no substitute for normal trading, agrees.

“First of all, the target was ridiculous. And now they’re not even sure if they’re going to get there,” she said. “So what’s the plan if they don’t? Are they intending to keep businesses closed forever?”

As lockdown fatigue sets in, “non-essential” businesses that have been prevented from opening their doors are starting to look with resentment at others who can trade.

“Why can the supermarket trade with dozens of people coming and going at a time and I can’t even have two people at a time?” asked one retailer. “We operated COVIDSafe successfully early on and I know we can do it again if given a chance.”

As one Yarraville cafe owner observed, people are tired and they’re losing patience with the Andrews government’s so-called recovery roadmap.

“People come in and they are on JobKeeper or they’ve had shifts reduced and they are very worried,” the owner said.

“And all the politicians are still getting paid. Do they really know how it is affecting ordinary people?”

Seddon small retailer Anne Nguyen said she initially supported lockdown and was happy to play her role in suppressing the virus. She closed the doors to her shop, kept her daughters home from school and stayed at home unless it was necessary to leave.

“I stood with Dan,” she said, referring to the popular social media hashtag. “Not anymore. I want to know what his next plan is.”

Even the Premier, who has for months urged Victorians to stay the course, has conceded the government might need to rethink its targets if the numbers refused to budge. He acknowledged that the cost of keeping an extended lockdown would prove harmful.

“And then you have to make a really difficult judgment about, well, is this as good as it’s going to get?” he said.

“They’re not decisions that have been made, but they’re the things that we’re thinking about.”