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VTA says state economic reopening plan is as expected

Victorian Transport Association says the extension of restrictions on retail, hospitality and many other sectors of the economy will be extremely difficult for these businesses to bear

 

The Victorian Government’s ‘road map’ to a post-pandemic opening up of the state economy, as announced by premier Daniel Andrews, has revealed few if any surprises for the Victorian Transport Association (VTA).

As expected, freight transport and logistics remains free of overly onerous controls, with the association noting it continues to be an essential service, albeit with businesses having to trade with a COVID Safe Plan.

“The extension of restrictions on retail, hospitality and many other sectors of the economy will be extremely difficult for these businesses to bear,” VTA CEO Peter Anderson says.

“All these businesses are consumers of freight, logistics and transport, and many are customers of our members.

“To help them through this difficult time, it is essential we support them as best we can by providing them with the reliable and efficient transport services they will continue to need to best service their customers.”


Call for relaxed Victorian curfew extension


There is no progress on reversing the resumption of the temporary delivery truck curfew curtailment.

“We will continue to advocate for this extension so that our industry can service its customers and consumers as we progress through the steps towards the economy re-opening,” Anderson says.

“We will also advocate for the Victorian government to provide additional financial support and relief to businesses that have had longer restrictions forced upon them through no fault of their own, to give them – and our broader Victorian economy – the best possible chance of recovering when we reach a new ‘COVID Normal’.”

Under the ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap to reopening’ document, the Ports and Freight sector is open with a COVID Safe Plan on all five ‘steps’.

Postal distribution centres are heavily restricted in the first step, restricted in the second, open with a COVID Safe Plan in the third and last steps and Open with a COVID Safe Plan with no density quotient at COVID Normal.

The supermarket and food distribution sector is heavily restricted in the first two steps, Open with a COVID Safe Plan in the next two and Open with a COVID Safe Plan with no density quotient at COVID Normal.

Roadmap details can be found here.

 

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