The Andrews Labor Government must exempt businesses that are critical to Victoria’s supply chain and at risk of failure from its Stage four workplace shutdowns.
Labor’s harsh new lockdowns will result in jobs being lost and many businesses closing permanently. Sadly, it is likely lives will be lost as the financial pressure on business owners becomes too much.
A leaked Cabinet draft of the Stage four lockdowns provided an exemption, subject to Chief Health Officer approval, for businesses that:
a. would, if not exempted, otherwise permanently close and create a major supply chain gap in the State’s industrial capability that would be unlikely to be filled after a return to normal conditions.
b. are critical to global supply chains in the local and international manufacture of essential products overseas, such as medical equipment and supplies.
This exemption was removed from the final announcement of restrictions.
It is critical to our economic recovery that those businesses survive.
The Andrews Labor Government has demonstrated that it couldn’t manage something as simple as hotel quarantine so Victorians can have no confidence that it understands the complex supply chains in the Victorian economy and can make reliable decisions on what industries can close and what must stay open.
The Andrews Labor Government must provide the exemption for supply chain businesses which was dropped from the final list.
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation, Gordon Rich-Phillips:
“The Andrews Labor Government couldn’t even manage hotel quarantine and hasn’t a clue how the complex supply chains in our economy work.”
“In Parliament this week, I called on the Premier to provide an exemption for critical supply chain businesses so that we don’t inflict even more damage on our struggling economy.”
