Region’s push towards normal

COMMENCING midnight Wednesday, 16 September, the State Government have announced regional Victoria is set to take the next step towards COVID normal.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced that having reached a 14-day average of 3.6 cases, public health experts have advised that regional Victoria can take go forward on the roadmap to recovery.

“Regional communities will progress to the third step of our reopening roadmap,” Mr Andrews said.

“I want to remind Victorians, in every corner of the state, that even as the rules change, the need to follow them doesn’t.”

In response to the announcement, representatives from the Ballarat region stood in support of the move forward.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Ben Taylor said while it is in line with what had been rumoured, it’s a great relief to hear that the region finally has an answer.

“That’s a real welcome step in regional Victoria especially in Ballarat,” he said. “We really came together

and did the right thing and now we have no active cases.

“This allows for the opportunity to get out into dining and really support businesses, which is critical at the moment.”

To aid businesses get back on their feet, Cr Taylor said the City has the Hardship Policy in place, enforcing relaxed regulations on outdoor dining and an additional $500,000 in funding to specifically go towards helping the struggling hospitality industry.

“There was an announcement around Council waiving the fees for outdoor dining permits which was happen straight away and if people have already paid for this, a refund will be provided,” he said.

“We set up a concierge through council to deal with each business to know what the requirements are and even fast-tracking permits…to make sure they can open up quicker and easier.

“We’re currently working out the programs right now to come up with how we can spend that money…whether that’s bollards, road closures, activating lane ways, really trying to get it active across the entire city not just in the CBD.”

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison was joined by Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle to support the decision in moving the state’s regions, particularly Ballarat, towards normal.

Ms Addison said the most important thing is to ensure we have a full and safe return and we are backing our regional businesses.

“It’s time that we get behind our local businesses, that we support them and put our money back into the local economy to make sure people will still have jobs to go back to,” she said.

“Regional Victoria has no cases. It can be done but only if we are all committed to a COVID safe lifestyle of masks, social distancing and washing our hands.

“I have faith that we can do it for the whole of Victoria.”

Ms Settle said while it’s fantastic news that we can visit friends and family once again, with cases still in metropolitan Melbourne it’s still important to stay on top of things.

“It’s important to remember that we are all in this together, we are all Victorians,” she said.

“We need to keep our regions safe and free from the virus, so there will be extra efforts around those borders.”

“We can’t take that final step of opening up until we are sure we’re all safe.”

For more on what the step three rules are head to vic.gov.au/third-step-coronavirus-road-to-recovery.