Committee for Echuca Moama chief executive officer Deanne Armstrong was preparing, as best she can, for the state’s re-opening and what that will mean to the Echuca business community.
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“It’s a little hard to put plans in place when the goalposts keep changing, but we are speaking with business at the moment about what a re-opening would mean to them,” Ms Armstrong said.
“We are trying to find out how we can keep businesses running within the restrictions.
“The frustration for our members is coming from local targets being reached, but no change to the rules.”
The proposed November 5 date for a re-opening of regional Victoria to the metropolitan region is only five weeks away, but there remains widespread uncertainty about rules and operating conditions for businesses.
Kagome chief executive officer Jason Fritsch said he would be assisting C4EM to form a “collective” and get a number of businesses, milk, fruit, meat and vegetable processing businesses together and reach out to state government for certainty.
“We are putting a list together now, Deanne will contact them and we will stage a webinar to discuss our approach,” Mr Fritsch said.
“I am certainly not blaming the state government, but we can’t wait until November or December.
“We need certainty before that. It is not just the processing facilities, it’s also the growers.
“If nothing is done between now and the end of the year it will be a disaster.”
He said the group would include representatives from the fruit, meat, vegetable and dairy industries, hoping to pin the government down to a timeframe and rules going forward in regard to COVID-19 case scenarios.
In its peak season Kagome had about 300 workers on site and any interruption to its summer processing season would cause enormous complications.
“I’ve had conversations with Damien Drum and Peter Walsh - when I spoke to them they couldn’t answer my questions,” Mr Fritsch said.
“Both were absolutely supportive, but they are in the dark as much as us.”
Mr Fritsch said the pair had agreed to “put it on their radar” and advocate for the soon-to-be formed group.
Among the points of discussion with the group will be rapid testing and the potential for it to be used on factory sites.
Businesses are unable to use the rapid tests on site in Australia unless they are administered by a medical professional under strict conditions.
“The risk of getting COVID in our facility will be significantly enhanced once the entire state is open,” he said.
“Every community will have positive cases.
“What is going to be inflicted on us, as a business, if we get a positive case
“If they come in and shut the place down for two weeks it would be catastrophic, not only for us, but for growers, workers, everyone.
“We can’t just stop because the raw materials will be destroyed.
“It’s the same with the dairy and fruit industry, abattoirs as well.
“We cant just switch things off, we must treat it like a common cold.
“I support the re-opening of the state, but with that will come more positive cases.
“We really need certainty from the state government on what restrictions are they going to impose on us.”
Ms Armstrong echoed his sentiments, saying it was extremely frustrating for the businesses she had spoken to in the past week.
“My main direction is working with business and looking at what COVID restrictions mean for them moving forward,” she said.
“Once people are double vaccinated how does that effect our larger businesses?
“If someone tests positive what does that mean to business?
“Once everyone is double vaccinated can businesses operate to a normality.
“Or if they have a case, does it mean they have to be locked down for 14 days?”
Ms Armstrong said business operators were looking for clarity and options.
“The conversation around rapid testing is happening and how it could affect their operation,” she said.
The C4EM chief executive said the vision of the group was cast well into 2022 and what business would look like in six months.
Ms Armstrong admitted it was a little like preparing for the unknown, but it was certainly better than not being prepared at all.
“We will collaborate with industry and businesses to advocate to government for clarity on the rules going forward,” she said.
“This is our role for businesses in the community and there will be no better test than COVID operating conditions for business in 2022.”
Kyabram Free Press and Campaspe Valley News editor