There are calls for the Victorian Government to cover the costs associated with small business closure.

Tom Elliott gave small business and industry a voice on 3AW Drive on Monday following the state government’s unveiling of the roadmap to recovery.

Kate Carnell, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, told 3AW Drive it was not the news she was hoping for.

“If they are going to go down this path with their COVID modelling, then they need to pick up the tab for small business,” she said.

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Rob Scott, Chief Executive of Wesfarmers, has been dealing with multiple state governments since the pandemic began.

He told Tom Elliot there’d been one major difference in dealing with Daniel Andrews.

“It’s been very much a one-way discussion and I contrast that to some of the very collaborative engagement we’ve had with the NSW and Western Australian governments, for example,” he said.

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Jodie Gillett, Chief Executive of Commerce Ballarat, said she was “surprised” by the restrictions that will continue to be implemented on regional Victoria.

“We were fairly devastated,” she said.

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