C4EM joins calls to open up regional Victoria

By Ivy Jensen

Oct 15, 2020

COMMITTEE for Echuca Moama is pushing for the Premier to open up regional Victoria, despite the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Shepparton.

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In a joint letter on behalf of the Victorian Regional Committees for Cities representative groups, C4EM chair Geoff Kelly joins the committees for Shepparton, Geelong, Gippsland and Ballarat in calling on Daniel Andrews to ease restrictions in regional Victoria to stimulate the economy.

“We believe it is now time for the Victoria Government to recognise the efforts of regional Victoria in suppressing the virus and allow us to move to the final step in the state’s re-opening roadmap,” the letter reads.

“Any further delay in moving to the final step for regional Victoria would seem to disregard the Victorian Government’s own assertion that lifting restrictions must be driven by data. The data for regional Victoria meets the government’s stated targets.

“Further, delays in moving to the final step for regional Victoria will continue to damage our regional economies and people’s lives and livelihoods.

“Growing community fatigue has the potential to erode the good work done to date; moving to the final step in the roadmap for regional Victoria is due recognition for the co-operation and compliance that has allowed us to get to where we are.”

C4EM chief executive Deanne Armstrong said restrictions needed to be eased in Echuca Moama, despite the outbreak in Shepparton.

“Shepparton is doing all it can with contact tracing and containing the virus and trying to get on top of this as quickly as possible,” she said.

“We would encourage people to go to the DHHS website for all updates and anyone from the Echuca-Moama community who has visited any of the locations to please get tested as soon as possible.

“The more people that come forward and get tested, the quicker we can contain this spread.

“We need to move forward and continue to push for opening up the region because Echuca-Moama businesses are suffering.”

The letter said regional Victoria businesses had invested heavily in COVID safe practices, developing new policies, training staff, investing in infrastructure and transforming their workplaces.

“Our businesses and communities deserve to be rewarded for their dedication to suppressing the virus in regional areas and be allowed to progress to the next stage towards a COVID normal future,” it read.