Victoria announces roadmap to reopening, retail to experience protracted wait time
Premier Daniel Andrews today unveiled time frames to getting Victoria open again after the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Currently, Melbourne is in Stage 4 restrictions. From 11:59pm on 13 September, they will take the First Step towards COVID Normal. Regional Victoria, currently in Stage 3 restrictions, will be able to jump to the Second Step of reopening.
Unfortunately, outside of essential retail outlets (see the National Retail Association summary), the roadmap as outlined states that retail will not be reopening until 26 October 2020. At this point, retail will have been in lockdown for 13 weeks. The National Retail Association notes that shopping centres have been utilising COVIDSafe plans to great effect, and with the onset of Christmas shopping fast approaching, retailers should be able to open in a COVIDSafe way as soon as possible.
Your association continues to advocate for financial support and for a sensible plan that allows retailers to open as soon as possible to keep the economy turning.
View the Roadmap for Businesses Read the Premier's Statement VIC.GOV.AU/CORONAVIRUS
