Businesses dealt ‘devastating’ blow as suburbs go back into lockdown
Victorian businesses have been dealt another financial blow, with the news 10 postcodes will go back into stage three lockdown at 11.59pm tonight.
Businesses in the locked down hot spots will be hit hard by the shutdown, but they’re not the only ones.
There are more than 300,000 residents in the locked down areas who have now been ordered not to go on holidays, so the measure will have a flow on effect to areas which rely on tourism.
Chief executive of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Paul Guerra, said lockdown will have a “devastating” effect on businesses.
“It’s had a knock-on effect to the rest of the state because now some of those people that were planning on going on holidays now can’t travel out to regional Victoria,” he told 3AW’s Kate Stevenson and Tony Leonard, filling in for Ross and John.
Affected businesses will be eligible for an initial $5000 grant to help them through the difficult period.
But Mr Guerra said some businesses won’t survive.
“We know that some businesses just will not make it through,” he said.
“While it’s a tough decision, we think it’s the right decision.
“[If] it gets out of control and we start impact more and more of the state an the rest of the country as well.”
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