Canberra businesses closed during lockdown are calling on the ACT Government to provide greater certainty on when they will reopen in the form of a more detailed pathway than has been provided.
The Canberra Business Chamber are continuing to call for a detailed roadmap for the ACT out of restrictions in line with the vaccination thresholds the Territory and nation is set to reach in the coming weeks and months.
In an email to members, the Chamber wrote that Canberra businesses are looking for more certainty about how restrictions might change as the ACT moves out of lockdown and hits the 80 per cent vaccination milestone for those aged 16-plus next month.
“Without more information, the ACT business community remain in the dark and unable to plan when they might restart operations, re-employ staff, bring in stock, and resume engagement with their customers,” they wrote.
“There is a growing concern that businesses across the NSW border will be trading again, while their ACT counterparts remain heavily restricted or closed.”
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has remained steadfast in his approach; any changes to restrictions will be announced five to seven days out. Too early, and they would potentially offer false hope; too late, and business wouldn’t have time to prepare.
“We do so in a two-week cycle, and we tend to provide advice five to seven days before an easing in order to give people time and notice, particularly for business, to adjust to that next step.”
Mr Barr has been clear that the easing would be incremental and would start next week with modest adjustments to gathering sizes, home visits, and outdoor activity, and will be in line with the “cautious and sensible approach” followed by the Territory throughout the entire outbreak.
He flagged the mid-October announcement will be more substantial than what is unveiled next week.
“Extensive planning” toward schools reopening has already been made and will also be announced next week.
“We’ve got to vaccinate the parents of primary school aged kids,” he said, “we’re well advanced on that.”
The Chief Minister has repeatedly said he is prioritising public health first with the economy second, as any changes to restrictions that open up more movement in the community inherently presents greater risk of transmission.
“My objective is the highest possible level of vaccination, lowest possible new cases, an even lower level of hospitalisation, and preferably no deaths,” he said.
“I do not want to stand at this podium and give glib ‘this many people died today’ like some of my other colleagues have to.
“It’s just distressing for everyone.
“I’ve been criticised … Maybe I just have a higher value on human life and protecting people, I plead guilty to that.”
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