City of Melbourne urges government support as Omicron hurts trade

City of Melbourne urges government support as Omicron hurts trade

The City of Melbourne is calling for a new round of government support for traders and incentives to boost visitation after a recent survey by the council found three in four businesses are struggling to survive the current Omicron outbreak.

The survey also found 74 per cent of city business owners are barely surviving or are under intense distress, while 53 per cent aren’t confident they can remain open for more than three months.

Councillors will meet on Tuesday to consider lobbying the state and federal governments to implement measures that will mitigate the impacts of Omicron on businesses, including:   

  • a third serving of the successful Melbourne Money scheme, which has injected $60 million into city cafes, bars and restaurants 
  • an additional round of hotel vouchers to support stays in the CBD 
  • free public transport for major events such as Moomba, which will return to the city in March 
  • the removal of the work-from-home advice, and a return of public servants to the CBD, as soon as it’s safe to do so. 

Lord Mayor Sally Capp says the survey indicates business confidence is declining, particularly among the city’s hospitality and retail sector. 

“We know Melbourne’s business owners are incredibly resilient, but the Omicron outbreak is having a significant impact as people isolate or understandably take it upon themselves to limit their movements,” she says.

"It's clear the economic impacts of the Omicron variant are similar to those felt during lockdowns. However, our business owners aren't currently receiving financial support.

“Through speaking with traders and seeing the raw data, we know our Melbourne Money schemes have been incredibly successful in bringing people back to the city and back into businesses after lockdowns. We want to replicate that success with a third serving.”

The first course of the Melbourne money scheme was introduced in May 2021, and allowed diners to claim 20 per cent off their bill when spending $50 or more at all restaurants, cafes and bars across Melbourne’s CBD.

A second round was initiated in November, with the rebate boosted to 30 per cent if diners came in to spend between Monday and Thursday.

“We need the state and federal governments to urgently introduce initiatives and commit to ensure Melbourne businesses can weather the impacts of COVID-19, as we live with the virus in our community,” Capp says.

Updated at 11:26am AEDT on 28 January 2022.


NSW extends current restrictions to 28 February

NSW extends current restrictions to 28 February

As COVID hospitalisation rates approach 3,000 in NSW, the state's government has decided to extend current restrictions by a month to 28 February as a "measured response" as students return to school and authorities look to restart non-urgent elective surgery as soon as possible.

Measures that will continue include the following:

  • Hospitality venues, including pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes, and nightclubs must follow the one person per two square metre rule indoors;
  • Masks are required in all indoor settings (except residences). Masks are strongly encouraged where you cannot maintain a safe distance from others;
  • QR code check-ins are compulsory at certain premises, including hospitality venues and retail shops;
  • Singing and dancing is not permitted in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities, nightclubs, indoor music festivals and indoor major recreation facilities (except for weddings, performers, instructors and students). 
  • With more than 209,000 reported active COVID cases in NSW, and this figure likely underestimates the true spread due to the unavailability of rapid antigen tests, Premier Dominic Perrottet says rolling  over these measures would continue to protect the community and health system. 

“The gap between your second jab and your booster is now just three months, so don’t waste time – the sooner we all get our boosters the sooner we will overcome this Omicron wave,” Hazzard says.

“The NSW community has put in an extraordinary effort to get the first two doses of the COVID vaccine, making us one of the most vaccinated populations worldwide. It’s now extremely important to back it in with your booster to lift your protection against the highly transmissible Omicron strain.”

“We have always said we will respond to what is in front of us and tailor our approach as required and that is exactly what we are doing,” Perrottet says.

“We are transitioning to living with COVID and we will need to continually update our approach to ensure we are keeping people safe and protecting our health system. 

“It is vital people continue to come forward and get their booster shots to help keep themselves, their family and the community safe.”

Minister for Health Brad Hazzard says there is plenty of availability and supply of boosters in the NSW Health vaccination clinics, so those eligible for their booster shot should book as soon as possible.

People aged 18 years and older can receive their booster dose at three months after receiving their second dose of any of the COVID-19 vaccines.

According to NSW Health, 93.9 per cent of the population aged 16 and over have received two vaccine doses, while more than a third have had three doses.

18,512 new cases were reported in the 24 hours to 8pm last night and 29 lives lost, with 183 patients currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) with the virus.

Updated at 10:28am AEDT on 25 January 2022.


Victoria partners up with supermarkets to tackle workforce shortage

Victoria partners up with supermarkets to tackle workforce shortage

The Victorian government has joined forces with leading supermarket chains to fill workforce shortages by linking thousands of local jobseekers to food retailers.

Starting the program earlier this month, Jobs Victoria has already received more than 2,000 people expressing interest to work in Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and wholesaler Metcash as an outflux of COVID-positive employees leave retailers understaffed.  

Roles available include pick-packers to assemble online orders, night-fillers to restock shelves, cashiers, delivery drivers and forklift operators.

“We've had some 2,000 people register their interest to work in our supermarket system and that's critically important given that there are hundreds, indeed, thousands of staff - whether it be at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, or wholesaler Metcash - who have not been able to report for duty,” said Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.

“That's behind the scenes - the government working with our supermarkets to give people who are out of work, the skills and support they need to do the job that we need them to do."

The state government also plans to supply 25,000 rapid antigen tests (RATs) on a cost recovery basis to critical utilities and food supply chain services, including meat and poultry suppliers.

“Over the past few weeks, we've seen every part of the food supply chain has been impacted through team member isolations and workforce not being available. Whether that's farmers, food processers, manufacturers, transport - it's impacted in our own distribution centres in Coles and in our own stores," said Coles executive general manager of central operations & transformation Kevin Gunn.

“Many team members have stepped up and taken on additional hours.”

To try and manage the demand, Coles has provided further skills training to 77,000 employees in order increase flexibility as challenges continue to arise.  

“We've been working with Jobs Victoria, who have done an amazing job. We've had over 1,000 candidates come forward,” said Gunn.

“I'm delighted to say we've got some team members who have actually started and are actually in our distribution centres.

“We are working hard to recover the situation across our stores, and our supply chain and things are getting a little better every day.”

The announcement comes as Victoria has recorded 11,695 positive COVID-19 cases. Of those, 7,207 were self-reported RATs and 4,488 came from PCR tests.

998 people are currently in hospital, with 119 in ICU and 47 on ventilators.

The state has recorded 17 deaths today.

Updated at 12.52pm AEDT on 24 January 2022.


“Unlawful greed”: AFP launches investigations into RAT price gouging

“Unlawful greed”: AFP launches investigations into RAT price gouging

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has launched investigations into rapid antigen test (RAT) price gouging, warning individuals and businesses could face five years’ imprisonment or a $66,000 fine if they are caught selling kits for more than 20 per cent of original retail price.

Two investigations are underway in Queensland and New South Wales after the federal agency received referrals from the Australian Competition and Consumer Competition (ACCC).

Additional referrals are expected and will be coordinated under the AFP’s Taskforce LOTUS, which was established on 8 February 2021 in response to potential criminal threats during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

The legislation will not apply to retailers who purchase from a wholesaler.

“For example, if a tobacconist buys RATs from a chemist and then sells those RATs for more than 20 per cent of what they were purchased for, that tobacconist faces criminal charges under the law,” said the AFP.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Crime Command Nigel Ryan said there would be zero tolerance for those who were profiteering from RATs at the expense of the Australian public.

“The AFP will use its full powers to crack down on RAT price gouging. Not only is price gouging of RATs unethical but it is illegal, and the AFP will use its significant resources to ensure it protects the public from the unlawful greed of others,’’ Ryan said.

To date, the AFP has not seized or surrendered any RATs, personal protective equipment or other relevant medical supplies to the National Medical Stockpile.

“Commonwealth and state agencies are working together on this issue, and under Taskforce LOTUS, the AFP makes no apologies for upholding the law to help keep Australians safe.”

Updated at 11.22am AEDT on 21 January 2022.


WA dumps 5 February border reopening plan

WA dumps 5 February border reopening plan

Western Australia will no longer relax its hard border with the rest of the nation from 5 February, with the state’s Premier Mark McGowan determining it would be “irresponsible and reckless” to allow Omicron in.

Instead, new hard border settings will be implemented from 5 February that will permit interstate travellers as long as they are triple vaccinated and they complete two weeks of self-quarantine at a suitable premises, among other rules.

The changes were announced in a late-night press conference by McGowan, who said “the world changed in December”.

“Omicron arrived. Of most concern was how easily transmissible and infectious Omicron is. Unfortunately, even double dose vaccinated people aren’t strongly protected against Omicron,” he said.

“Omicron is a whole new ball game. It is a new state of emergency. We can’t just shut our eyes and hope that it’s not different.”

The Premier hopes the border reopening delay will give those in WA more time to go out and get a booster shot, to ensure the best possible protection against the Omicron variant. So far, 25.8 per cent of the state’s population aged 16 and over has received a booster shot.

“It’s expected that we’ll be reaching the peak of this current wave in coming weeks. At that point after the peak I hope we can have a better understanding of Omicron and what it means for Western Australia,” the Premier said.

“Allowing hundreds or thousands of Omicron-infected people to fly straight into Perth from February 5 with no testing, no quarantine and no public health measures would cause a flood of COVID across our state. It would cause a surge in hospitalisations and result in thousands of people not being able to work or go to school.

“We’re in a fortunate position to be able to adjust our settings to put us in the best position to handle the Omicron variant and to protect Western Australians and the West Australian way of life. We know the third dose of the vaccine gives us the best protection.”

Unlike the rest of the nation where daily new case numbers are consistently in their thousands and states are recording multiple deaths per day, Western Australia has relatively few infections of COVID-19.

In total, there are just 82 active cases of COVID-19 in the state, and just 10 new cases were reported in WA yesterday.

This compares to 278,324 active cases in New South Wales, 99,976 in Victoria, 89,638 in Queensland, 35,525 in South Australia, 4,447 in the ACT, 3,948 in the Northern Territory and 1,729 in Tasmania,

“If we can hold back this current Omicron outbreak, we will be one of the only places in the world that can achieve a high third dose rate before we reach widespread community transmission - something worth striving for,” McGowan said.

Under the new border settings effective 5 February, approved travellers are permitted to enter WA, or leave WA and return, with testing and quarantine requirements under the new expanded exemption criteria:

  • Returning Western Australians, with strong recent connections or direct legitimate family connections with WA;
  • Compassionate grounds including funeral, palliative care or terminally ill visitation;
  • Member of the family of an approved traveller;
  • People entering for urgent and essential medical treatment;
  • Reasons of national and State security;
  • Commonwealth and State officials, Members of Parliament, Diplomats;
  • Provision of specialist skills not available in WA, health services, emergency service workers;
  • People required to attend court matters, judicial officers and staff of court, tribunals and commissions; and
  • Special considerations and extraordinary circumstances determined by the State Emergency Coordinator or Chief Health Officer. 

Approved interstate travellers into WA will be permitted with the following requirements:

  • Traveller must have an approved G2G Pass, under new exemption criteria;
  • Be triple dose vaccinated if eligible (double dose vaccinated if not eligible for third);
  • Return a negative pre-departure Rapid Antigen Test (24 hours prior to departure);
  • Undertake 14 days of self-quarantine at a suitable premises, with the same requirements for household members at the self-quarantine premises; 
  • PCR testing within 48 hours of arrival and on day 12 of self-quarantine, and household members will also be required to do a PCR test on the traveller's day 12.
  • Subject to mandatory use of G2G Now and in-person checks by WA Police as required. 

Additional requirements will be put in place for domestic road travel including:

  • Approved domestic travellers to limit travel to 1,500 kilometres from road borders, to enable people to travel by road to suitable premises for quarantine in Perth from Eucla;
  • Entry at the Kununurra border only for transport, freight and logistics and border community residents;
  • Restricted travel into remote Aboriginal communities. 

International travel into WA will be permitted with the following requirements:

  • Meet the Commonwealth requirements to enter Australia under the arrivals cap;
  • Undertake 14 days of mandatory quarantine including, seven days in hotel quarantine and seven days of self-quarantine at a suitable premise, if eligible;
  • PCR testing on days one, six, nine and 12, and household members will also be required to do a PCR test on the traveller's day 12
  • Subject to mandatory use of G2G Now and in-person checks by WA Police as required;
  • International travel indirectly into WA via another State or Territory will be subject to the same entry and quarantine requirements as domestic travellers.  

Updated at 9.10am AEDT on 21 January 2022.


Peak bodies propose six-point plan to carry business through Omicron wave

Peak bodies propose six-point plan to carry business through Omicron wave

A coalition of Australia’s peak industry groups representing the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors says “there is almost no government support” for businesses struck by Omicron, and has called for action in six areas to prevent operators from collapsing.

As part of a six-point plan the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), the Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) and the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) are calling on the government to underwrite the cost of rapid antigen tests, expand close contact exemptions and lure in skilled workers though visa rebates.

All three groups are also urging for rent relief, cash grants and simpler reporting requirements for businesses with COVID-positive employees.

Approximately 70 per cent of ARA members have staff in isolation, whilst a third have limited trading hours in some locations and one in five were forced to close down due to staff shortages.

“This year has seen business enter unchartered waters, with Omicron impacting business more than any other time in the pandemic with almost no government support,” ARA CEO Paul Zahra said.

“These challenges are going to be with us for some time and targeted support is desperately needed from government so small businesses can survive.”

"For many in the hospitality sector, the current situation with Omicron has left them worse off when compared to the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021,” added R&CA CEO Wes Lambert.

“Between staff having to isolate with COVID-19, mass cancellations from a fearful public and the ongoing staff shortage, who can blame them?”

Reduced domestic travel has also slammed the tourism sector, which is still reeling from missing five school holiday periods in a row due to restrictions, resulting in an estimated loss of $21 billion in related visitor spend.

“After losing around 600,000 people from our sector over the course of the pandemic with many never to return, the lack of skilled staff is now the number one issue for tourism and aviation businesses large and small,” said TTF CEO Margy Osmond.

The industry groups have called on the government to commit to six immediate areas of focus to support business during this time:

1) Access to Rapid Antigen Tests

"Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) are a critical resource as we adjust to living with Covid and they should be easily accessible and affordable for businesses to assist with the testing of their staff.

"We call on the Federal Government to underwrite the cost of RATs so businesses are not lumped with additional costs – on top of the trading impacts they’re currently suffering."

2) Expand close contact isolation exemptions

"Omicron is forcing tens of thousands of people into isolation every day and staff shortages across the economy are immense.

Whilst a range of industries have been included in the list of workers who are exempt from close contact isolation requirements, this needs to cascade out to workers in retail, hospitality and tourism, allowing these businesses to continue serving customers while keeping everyone safe."

3) Access to skilled staff

"We welcome the Federal Government’s recent announcements to lure more international students and working holiday makers into the country through visa rebates. These workers will fill roles generally at the lower and medium skilled positions level. We now need to prioritise these workers to fill the remaining labour shortages in our industries which are predominantly skilled.

"At all times we support the priority of providing jobs to Australians and training Australians where they exist. However, the retail, hospitality and tourism industries were already dealing with skills shortages before the Omicron wave. Our sectors require prioritisation with more specialised workers on the skilled migrant workers list."

4) Rent relief

"Rent is a major pain point for business, and leasing codes of conduct have now expired in most jurisdictions leaving small businesses vulnerable to significant cashflow challenges in the first quarter of this year.

"We thank the NSW and Victorian governments for extending rent negotiation rights for small business until mid-March. However, rent relief is only available to businesses with turnover of up to $5 million (in NSW) and $10 million (in Victoria). We’re calling for the threshold to be lifted to $50 million – as it was previously – and for similar supports to be reinstated or introduced across the other states and territories."

5) Targeted cash grants

"Targeted cash grants, including the JobSaver program, were a lifesaver for businesses and should be reinstated. It’s clear that the impacts of Omicron are widespread and ongoing and that targeted and temporary cash grants are needed to keep small businesses most affected alive until they come out the other side of this current crisis."

6) Reduce red tape

"The last thing businesses need to be focused on right now is regulation and red tape.

"Feedback is that employer reporting requirements for positive cases are onerous, overwhelming teams and causing resources to be diverted to administration which is a roadblock to other safety and support issues.

"We’re pleased to see a reduction in some of the duplicate reporting requirements within Victoria. We call on the other states and territories to do the same."

Updated at 3.39pm AEDT on 20 January 2022.


TWU: Transport workers pressured to work while sick with COVID

TWU: Transport workers pressured to work while sick with COVID

A new survey conducted by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) has revealed transport workers are being asked to work while COVID-positive or symptomatic, leading the union to call upon supply chain clients and governments to take a stand.

The survey, completed by approximately 2,500 workers in freight, logistics, distribution centres, passenger transport, waste, food delivery and aviation, saw respondents reply with damning allegations about workplace health and safety conditions.

According to the TWU, one respondent said "I tested positive again after six days of isolation and was told I don’t need to do a test after seven days and can return to work! I refused as I still had symptoms.”

Another said they were "pressured to work even though I could barely drive the bus. I refused to work the next day because I tested positive.”

A third reported being "harassed by phone calls and messages from management telling me to go back ASAP, but I was still unwell.”

The survey also revealed 90 per cent of respondents did not want to work alongside close contacts, and 96 per cent want free rapid antigen tests.

As such, the TWU is writing to wealthy supply chain clients like Apple, Aldi and Amazon, and state governments who oversee bus and waste contracts, calling on them to take a stand against any positive worker being asked to return to work and ensure risk assessments and COVID-safe plans are urgently put in place.

The Union also alleged other concerning trends, including workers losing pay or being criticised for fulfilling mandatory isolation requirements, management not informing workers they’d worked in close quarters with COVID-positive colleagues, and casual workers feeling pressured to work while possibly infectious because they have no sick leave.


RELATED: ACTU claims free test request "reasonable", but employer body deems strike threats inappropriate


Despite their increased risk of virus exposure, the survey found three quarters had not yet received their booster vaccination. Almost 30 per cent of respondents were not yet eligible for the booster.

TWU national assistant secretary Nick McIntosh said the relaxing of isolation rules has sent a dangerous signal to put workplace health and safety at the bottom of the pile.

"Transport workers are reporting being called to return to work while still COVID-positive or symptomatic to fulfil transport contracts with wealthy supply chain clients. This is a blatant prioritisation of profits over safety,” McIntosh said.

“Transport workers who've kept us going throughout the pandemic say they're being told not to bother testing when most likely carrying the virus, and are forced to work in unclean, unsafe environments without even being informed when colleagues test positive.

“These alarming safety violations will only grow in number and severity if the economic powers overseeing transport contracts do not put a stop to this appalling behaviour in their supply chains.”


Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine gets drug regulator's green light

Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine gets drug regulator's green light

A COVID-19 vaccine made by pharmaceutical company Novavax has been granted provisional approval today by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), with the first shipment of the jabs expected to arrive in the coming month.

The provisional approval will allow Australians aged 18 years and older to receive two doses of the vaccine administered three weeks apart as soon as the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) grants its approval too.

Novavax’s NUVAXOVID is the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccine to receive regulatory approval in Australia.

Protein vaccines use a non-infectious component found on the surface of the coronavirus and are manufactured in cells in a laboratory. After vaccination, immune cells recognise the vaccine protein as foreign and launch an immune response against it.

This approach differs from the vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna which are both messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, and AstraZeneca’s jab which is a vector vaccine.

Unlike Pfizer and Moderna’s jabs, NUVAXOVID is only approved for primary vaccination only as studies for the use of Novavax’s jab as a booster are ongoing.

The Novavax vaccine has received conditional marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency, and the World Health Organisation has issued an emergency use listing for the vaccine.

“Provisional approval of this vaccine in Australia is subject to certain strict conditions, such as the requirement for Biocelect Pty Ltd (on behalf of Novavax Inc) to continue providing information to the TGA on longer-term efficacy and safety from ongoing clinical trials and post-market assessment,” the TGA said.

“Australians can be confident that the TGA's review process of NUVAXOVID was rigorous. The decision to provisionally approve the vaccine was also informed by expert advice from the AdvisoryCommittee on Vaccines (ACV), an independent committee with expertise in scientific, medical and clinical fields including consumer representation.”

Novavax and the Australian government announced an advance purchase agreement for 51 million doses NUVAXOVID in January 2021. The first shipment to Australia of the Novavax vaccine is expected in the coming month.

“Obviously we have a first dose national vaccination rate of 95.2 per cent, and we know that some people have waited for Novavax. Although we’ve encouraged everybody to proceed, we recognise that that’s a fact,” Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

“So hopefully this will encourage those in that less than last 5 per cent to come forward. We want to have as many people come forward to be vaccinated.”

Updated at 10.45am AEDT on 20 January 2022.


Two oral COVID-19 treatments get provisional approval from TGA

Two oral COVID-19 treatments get provisional approval from TGA

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has today granted provisional approval to two oral COVID-19 treatments for use in adults at increased risk of progression to hospitalisation or death.

Both PAXLOVID (manufactured by Pfizer Australia) and LAGEVRIO (manufactured by the Australian subsidiary of Merck) are to be administered as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of the start of symptoms.

The TGA notes the pills, intended for those who do not require the initiation of oxygen, are not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.

LAGEVRIO is available as capsules, while PAXLOVID comprise separate tablets of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir - a drug usually used to treat HIV/AIDS. In both cases, the medicines are taken twice a day for 5 days.

“Molnupiravir (LAGEVRIO) works by inhibiting replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The use of LAGEVRIO is not recommended in pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is recommended that sexually active women of childbearing potential use contraception and men also use contraception during and three months after treatment with LAGEVRIO,” the TGA says.

“Regarding PAXLOVID, the nirmatrelvir component blocks the activity of a protease enzyme that the coronavirus needs in order to replicate. Nirmatrelvir is administered in combination with low-dose ritonavir to maintain plasma levels of nirmatrelvir for the duration of the treatment.”

Both treatments have received conditional marketing authorisation from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration, and PAXLOVID was authorised by Health Canada earlier this week.

According to a Phase 2/3 study of Pfizer's pill, the treatment was found to reduce the risk of hospitalisation or death by 89 [er cent compared to placebo in non-hospitalised high-risk adults with COVID-19.

"These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorised by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalisations," Pfizer chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said.

"Given the continued global impact of COVID-19, we have remained laser-focused on the science and fulfilling our responsibility to help healthcare systems and institutions around the world while ensuring equitable and broad access to people everywhere.”

The TGA’s provisional approval means both treatments are subject to certain strict conditions, such as the requirement for the sponsors to continue providing information to the TGA on longer-term efficacy and safety from ongoing clinical trials and post-market assessment.

“Australians can be confident that the TGA's review process of both medicines was rigorous,” the TGA says.

“The decision to provisionally approve the medicine was informed by expert advice from the Advisory Committee on Medicines (ACM), an independent committee with expertise in scientific, medical and clinical fields including consumer representation.”

So far, the Australian Government has secured access to 500,000 treatment courses of PAXLOVID and 300,000 courses of LAGEVRIO for supply during 2022, with the first deliveries of both medicines anticipated in coming weeks.

Updated at 9.56am AEDT on 20 January 2022.


Global Work & Travel CEO says visa rebate deadline "not enough time"

Global Work & Travel CEO says visa rebate deadline "not enough time"

A leading international online working holiday company has welcomed the Federal Government's announcement of visa rebates for international students and backpackers, although its CEO and co-founder believes an extension throughout 2022 is needed to truly entice travellers to overhaul their lives and come to Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced this morning visa rebates would be given to backpackers for 12 weeks, and to international students for eight weeks, in a bid to fill worker shortages caused by COVID-induced absenteeism.

Gold Coast-based Global Work & Travel, which also has global offices in London and Vancouver, is reporting demand for its WHM (working holiday maker) trips to Australia has more than doubled from December to January.

The company's co-founder and CEO Jürgen Himmelmann says the decision to offer visa rebates needs to be extended to help businesses and communities affected by staff shortages and reduce disruption to the supply chain.

"Two to three months of visa rebates is a good start but it is simply not enough time for travellers to decide to pack up their lives and make a life changing move to Australia," Himmelmann says.

"It needs to be extended until the end of the year at least to encourage travellers and students to come here and make it a realistic move."

He says the company has seen a real spike in enquiries and sales for its working holiday maker packages, with the majority of its network of customers wanting to get to work straight away.

"These are the people that can have an immediate and positive impact on staffing shortages across multiple industries," he explains.

"We have a backlog of working holiday makers who’ve been really keen to get into Australia and haven’t been able to enter the country. If the visa rebates are held in place for a longer period, this will help further entice travellers and students to come here.

"Their contribution to the economy is very real and we need to do all we can to ensure the processes to get them into the country are attractive, as Australia is competing with other countries to attract them."

Meanwhile, peak industry body the Accommodation Association has also welcomed the Federal Government's initiative but warns much more support is needed to address sector-wide labour force losses of 35 per cent.

"Every level of Australia’s Accommodation sector has been heavily hit by workforce losses of 35 per cent with the additional complication of staff having to isolate due to being close contacts," says the association's CEO Richard Munro.

"Every positive step towards addressing that is welcome but this is a massive headache that is not going away any time soon.

"We are very grateful for today’s announcement but ongoing support from Government at all levels is needed until we get back to a more normal existence and we have a proper resumption of international tourism."

He notes the Accommodation Association has been engaging with the Federal government on many fronts for both short and long term solutions, and looks forward to an acceleration of these kinds of announcements given the demand.

"The sector is constantly adapting and finding ways to become more flexible to suit the rapidly changing environment, the association itself has launched a number of programs to assist our members and the wider tourism industry with the skills shortage and today’s announcement will support these initiatives," Munro says.

"From our ground-breaking Gappa program which expands the traditional gap-year via a 10-month placement of paid work experience through to multiple short and long term solutions to match those looking for work with accommodation providers looking for team members, the association and our members have embraced new ways of attracting people into hospitality.

"But, even where demand for rooms is high, our hotels, motels and accommodation providers simply can’t find the people to fill the gaps right across the workforce from management to cleaning staff through to floor and administration staff. "

He adds members continue to see cancellations due to consumer fears of being stranded again by snap border closures and the inability to practically access Rapid Antigen Tests.

"Today’s announcement is a step in the right direction and we hope some of the eligible international students and backpackers come our way," he says.

"This is a brilliant sector to work in at every level. Even short-term, you learn transferable skills and, as a career path, it can take you anywhere and everywhere."

Later this afternoon, Business Council executive director Jess Wilson said gave her perspective, claiming that attracting student and working holiday maker visa holders back into the country and letting those already here work more hours were critical steps to keeping shelves stocked and supply chains functioning.

"We welcome the government’s sensible changes to boost the workforce, keep businesses functioning and ensure Australians can access the products and services they need," she said.

"Not only do critical labour shortages risk holding back our recovery but they put serious strain on supply chains across the economy and force businesses to close their doors."

She said businesses were experiencing workforce shortages of up to 40 per cent in some sectors.

"Temporary changes to give international students the chance to work more hours in all sectors of the economy are common sense. Many international students are already here and contributing – now they have a chance to do even more," she said.

"Working holiday makers are also crucial in sectors like agriculture, so making Australia an even more attractive destination with lower costs and faster approval times is a no brainer.

"These changes combined with the sensible adjustments to isolation and close contact rules will help address critical workforce shortages in the short term."


Constraints costing QLD businesses $180m per day, says CCIQ

Constraints costing QLD businesses $180m per day, says CCIQ

New modelling from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) shows constraints arising from the Omicron wave are costing the state’s economy an estimated $180 million a day in lost economic activity.

CCIQ members say their ability to maintain normal operational hours or service delivery, staff availability and supply chain disruptions have been the most significant constraints on their recovery, costing the economy approximately $1.2 billion per week.

CCIQ data shows one in five Queensland businesses have experienced a critical constraint on their ability to maintain normal operational hours or service delivery in the five weeks since state borders reopened, while 85 per cent of businesses surveyed said they had experienced some impact on their ability to trade as usual.

Businesses are reporting major or critical supply chain disruptions, especially in the construction, electricity, gas, water and waste services, wholesale trade, healthcare and social assistance, and retail trade industries.

CCIQ policy and advocacy general manager Amanda Rohan said Queensland businesses needed commitment to and certainty on three areas to enable them to confidently recover.

"CCIQ is calling for Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to be freely and widely available for businesses, the list of essential industries expanded and financial support for businesses forced to close directly due to public health directions,” Rohan said.

She said businesses had their first real opportunity to reopen after close to two years of uncertainty, but they needed support and clarity to stay open.

“Businesses need access to freely and widely available RATs to help them and their staff get back to work quicker, plan for workforce shortages, and ongoing recovery,” Rohan said.

“It’s equally important the list of essential industries continues to be consistently reviewed to enable businesses to self-assess their risk profile and to ensure employees are able to get back to work as soon as safe and practicable.

"We know staff shortages are impacting small businesses and there is a call for those most impacted businesses to be financially supported."

The CCIQ leader has called for a target support package with joint federal and state support.

"Today Brisbane City Council committed to a package to support local businesses which is welcome news to those most impacted in Brisbane," she said.

"There is still a need for a directly-targeted joint state and federal package to support businesses across the state. We have heard from impacted businesses they are seeking a package that can include payroll tax relief and fee waivers, deferrals and refunds."

Updated at 4:22pm AEST on 19 January 2022.


More businesses now eligible for SA support package

More businesses now eligible for SA support package

The South Australian Government has announced the eligibility criteria for its Tourism, Hospitality and Gym Grant will be extended to include newer businesses that began operating after December 2020.

Under the revised criteria, a business may be eligible if its national payroll is less than $10 million and it operates in tourism, hospitality, gyms or another sector required to operate under the one person per seven square metre density restriction.

Through the grant, applicants may receive:

  • $3,000 (for employing businesses) or $1,000 (for non-employing businesses);
  • Additional $1,000 for CBD businesses;
  • Additional $7,000 for tourism, hospitality and other eligible businesses with turnover above $2 million;
  • Additional top-up equivalent to automatic payment for businesses that did not receive the automatic payment.

The grant is automatically paid to businesses that have received a COVID-19 Tourism and Hospitality Support Grant or gym operators that received an additional COVID-19 Business Support Grant.

Other support available includes South Australia’s Business Hardship Grant, which allows employing businesses to receive $6,000 and non-employing businesses $2,000 if turnover has declined by 50 or more as a result of health trading restrictions put in place last month.

To apply for available grants, click here.

Updated at 2:34pm AEDT on 19 January 2022.


QLD to open international borders on Saturday

QLD to open international borders on Saturday

After finally lifting border restrictions on interstate travellers last Saturday, in three days' time the Queensland Government will start welcoming international arrivals without quarantine requirements for the fully vaccinated.

The announcement comes after the state's double-dose vaccination rate hit 88.82 per cent as of 17 January.

"We have decided to set a firm date for vaccinated people - international travellers - coming into Queensland, and we have set that date as 1am this Saturday," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told a press conference this morning.

She said the announcement would give certainty to airlines and incoming travellers.

"We're asking you to do a RAT test within 24 hours. This is consistent with other states," she said.

"If National Cabinet decides to change that down the track, so be it, but we do believe that now is the right time with our vaccination rates so high."

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) welcomed the news, with its CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff describing this as an "incredibly exciting day" for everyone at Brisbane Airport, the airlines and everyone associated with international aviation and visitation.  

"It takes us one step closer to re-uniting with the world," de Graaf said.

"Our team at Brisbane Airport is more than ready for Saturday morning. They have kept the lights on throughout the pandemic and have done a phenomenal job in adapting to the ever-changing requirements over the past two years.

"Rebuilding international travel into and out of Brisbane Airport will take many months, as we will need destinations for Australians and inbound market nations to reopen. We are not expecting to return to 2019 route and passenger levels until 2024."

He said the airport team hoped to see some uptick in some passenger sectors coming into Queensland, especially with the return of international students for the commencement of the university term. 

"The state’s agricultural harvest is also under way and needing workers," he added.

"Most importantly, there will be many families who will be greatly relieved that they can now reunite in Queensland as and when they need. We think the visiting friends and family sector will be the first to jump at this chance and hop on a plane to Queensland."

BAC added some airlines have maintained their BNE services throughout the pandemic and continued to carry repatriating Aussies, highlighting that Singapore Airlines and Emirates have been steadfast in maintaining a lifeline home to the world, while Air New Zealand, Air Niugini and the Taiwanese airlines have also continued to operate at BNE uplifting passengers and Queensland exports.

In addition, the corporation noted Qatar Airways started Brisbane flights during the pandemic which have proven to be a reliable pathway for passengers and Queensland produce exports to markets across the globe.

The majority of other airlines are wanting to return to BNE but will need to see market conditions that make sense for their business to make a restart decision.

"Although Queensland remains a world-famous destination and Brisbane remains a strong market for airlines to serve, airline businesses have suffered greatly from the pandemic, which means the competition amongst destinations for very scarce airline resources will be intense," de Graaff said.

"We look forward to working cooperatively with airlines, the Government and the entire travel industry, to recreate and support demand for Queensland and see visitor numbers rebuild."

These expectations would likely not have been possible if it weren't for the state's vaccination, but the Premier continued to warn against vaccine hesitancy - particularly on the Gold Coast.

The tourism hotspot is lagging behind other parts of the state such as Brisbane which is 93-95 per cent double-dose vaccinated depending on the area, and places like Central Queensland (91.1 per cent), Wide Bay (95 per cent plus) and Townsville (91.7 per cent).

"I know I keep talking about the Gold Coast but I am concerned. The Gold Coast is still sitting at 90.5 per cent," the Premier said.

"If you look at the scheme of things in terms of where people are going to be traveling, can I please give an added push for the Gold Coast region? Please come and get vaccinated. If you are due your booster, come and get your booster."

There were 19,932 new cases reported overnight for the state and tragically 11 deaths from the virus, including a person in their 30s who was not vaccinated.

Updated at 11:19am AEST on 19 January 2021.


NSW, VIC, SA and ACT reduce booster eligibility to three months

NSW, VIC, SA and ACT reduce booster eligibility to three months

Update (1:49pm AEDT): South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has followed suit and also shortened the minimum timeframe for booster shot eligibility from four to three months, effective immediately.

Update (10:53am AEDT): The Australian Capital Territory has followed NSW, VIC and SA in bringing the poster interval forward to three months, effective from 20 January 2022.

The states of New South Wales and Victoria have announced COVID-19 booster eligibility will be brought forward from four months to three, allowing more than 4.7 million Australians to book a jab from today. 

The news comes after both states recorded a combined total of 50 deaths – with NSW reporting 32 deaths and Victoria reporting 18. 

NSW also recorded 32,297 positive test results from 8pm last night. Of those, 12,450 came from rapid-antigen tests and 19,847 were positive PCR tests. 

“In our 40 vaccination hubs across New South Wales, we are bringing forward the eligibility for a booster shot up from four months to three months,” NSW Premier Perrottet said.

“I understand from the federal government that the eligibility from four months to three months in GPs and pharmacists will be available from 31 January.

“We currently have capacity for around 250,000 vaccinations every week.” 

Hours at major Victorian vaccination hubs such as Sandown, Bendigo and La Trobe University have all been extended specifically for what Premier Dan Andrews describes as a “booster blitz”, which will run from this Friday to next Monday. 

“This is a big push. Thousands of appointments are available, walk-in capacity has been expanded, opening hours have been extended, and more vaccinators will be on the floor,” the Victorian Premier said.

“If you got your second dose in October or earlier, now’s the time to come along to one of our major state-run centres this weekend and get your third, to protect yourself and the community for the busy year ahead.”

The rest of Victoria’s large state-run network will also be operating, and all sites except Dandenong Plaza and Ballarat Mercure will offer both Pfizer and Moderna doses

In NSW, there are currently 2,853 COVID-19 cases in hospital, including 217 people in ICU and 66 who require ventilation. 

“We've seen very clearly through the numbers in ICU, that vaccination is key in terms of reducing symptoms and keeping people safe,” said Perrottet. 

“I encourage everybody through what's been a difficult period of time to continue to make that effort, to make that booking.”

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant is also urging people to come forward to get their booster. 

“It's incredibly important that people come forward with their booster doses,” she said.

“I can’t stress enough the urgency.

“I also urge people that have got children going back to schools to think about you and your extended family - ensuring that you're boosted ahead of the school year and also that any elderly relatives are assisted in getting their booster.”

South Australians are also now eligible to receive a booster shot three months after receiving their second COVID-19 vaccine. 

The state has recorded three deaths and 3,482 positive COVID tests in the past 24 hours. 

"People who had their second dose three months ago are now eligible for their booster," said SA Premier Steven Marshall.

"This will create increased demand of around 225,000 shots in South Australia,”

“We have plenty of supply. You can get an appointment today right across the state.”

Meanwhile, Australian Capital Territory Health Minister Chris Steel has brought forward the jurisdiction's booster interval to three months too, allowing more Canberrans to get their third shot sooner.

The change was initially slated to come into effect from the end of January, but was brought forward to 20 January 2022 due to ample supply of vaccines.

"Through our two ACT government vaccination clinics, we have capacity to up to 32,500 vaccinations a week so there is plenty of opportunity for everyone eligible to come and receive their booster,” he says.

“Reducing the interval to three months will mean an extra 183,000 Canberrans are now eligible to receive their booster.”

Updated at 10:55am AEDT on 19 January 2022.


PM offers visa rebates to backpackers, international students in attempt to plug worker shortages

PM offers visa rebates to backpackers, international students in attempt to plug worker shortages

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has today emphasised there is no "shadow workforce" on hand to fill Australia's labour shortages due to the absenteeism wrought by COVID infections and isolation, but the next best thing appears to be international students and backpackers.

The PM has announced visa rebates for both these cohorts over the next two to four months, combined with a marketing program to entice travellers to come to Australia on working holidays.

"There are some 23,500 backpackers who have visas to come to Australia right now, and my message to them is come on down," he said.

"Enjoy a holiday here in Australia, move all the way around the country and at the same time join our workforce and help us in our agricultural sector and our hospitality sector and so many of the other parts of the economy that rely on that labour.

"We'll be supporting that with $3 million that we'll be giving to Tourism Australia to support a marketing program to target backpackers and students to get them out."


Related stories: Global Work & Travel CEO says visa rebate deadline "not enough time"

As international students return, let’s not return to the status quo of isolation and exploitation


Backpackers who arrive in Australia within the next 12 weeks will get their visa application fee rebated by the Department of Home Affairs, while the rebate will apply to international students for the coming eight weeks - a fee of around $630, according to the Prime Minister.

"There are around 150,000 students who have visas who we are encouraging to come back to be there for the start of their university or college year, and that is a thank you to them for coming back and continuing to choose Australia," the PM said.

"But we also want them to come here and be able to be filling some of these critical workforce shortages, particularly those who are working and being trained in health care, aged care, those types of sectors."

The Prime Minister also highlighted that to date Australia has had one of the lowest death rates in the world from the Omicron variant of COVID, along with one of the world's highest vaccination rates generally and among the fastest take-up rates for vaccines for children aged five to 11.

"As we face Omicron we must respect it, but we should not fear it. We must respect it with sensible balanced rules, sensible precautions, but at the same time not shutting Australia away; not locking ourselves up, not destroying people's livelihoods and bringing our society to a halt.

"That is not the future. That is the past.

"And one of the key reasons we can say that is because of the extraordinary work Australians have done and going out and getting vaccinated."

Updated at 10:38am AEDT on 19 January 2022.

 


ACTU claims free test request "reasonable", but employer body deems strike threats inappropriate

ACTU claims free test request "reasonable", but employer body deems strike threats inappropriate

With workplaces nationally fighting fires across multiple fronts as COVID-19 infections destabilise the economy, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is butting heads with employer representative bodies as workers threaten to walk off the job if conditions do not improve.

With the ACTU yesterday announcing workers might strike if demands for new COVID safe plans and free rapid antigen tests (RATs) are not met, the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) claims the threats “divert from common sense”.

“The only thing that is real and practical in the latest union demands related to living and working with COVID is that there should be far greater availability of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs),” Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said.

“The ACTU’s demands divert from common sense. The idea that employers should bear the costs for potentially limitless test kits is unworkable and demonstrates the lack of understanding of the pressures businesses are under.

“Many businesses are struggling to survive and to preserve the jobs of their employees.”

The ACTU said yesterday, following a meeting of leaders from national unions, that industrial action would be appropriate should employers not do “all that is reasonable and practical to keep workers safe”.

This would include each workplace undertaking new risk assessments for Omicron in consultation with unions, and the provision of free RATs by employers to all workers once supply is resolved, alongside upgraded masks and improved ventilation.

“Where employers do not fulfil their obligations, the union movement determines to do everything within its power to ensure the safety of workers and the community,” the ACTU said.

“This may include ceasing work or banning unsafe practices.”


RELATED: OzSAGE: Major COVID course correction immediately required


Speaking to Business News Australia, ACTU President Michele O’Neil said concerns from bodies like Ai Group should go unfounded, noting any “reasonable employer” would come to the table to sort out the situation with workers.

“No reasonable employer would be concerned about what we’re proposing, because we’re proposing to work with reasonable employers to make sure everything possible is done to keep workers safe,” O’Neil said.

“The only people who should be concerned are those who don’t take their obligations seriously.”

In particular, O’Neil said the ACTU’s demands are pointed squarely at employers taking advantage of workers, particularly casual and insecure workers, who are being told to come into work when they’re COVID positive or when they’re sick.

“This is completely unacceptable. It’s unacceptable at any time but it’s particularly dangerous in a pandemic,” she said.

By example, O’Neil highlighted the Teys Australia situation in South Australia where she alleged the meatworks business was asking COVID-positive, symptomatic workers to work while ill.

Though the ACTU today claimed victory in that fight, with Teys announcing it would only ask workers that tested positive to work following seven days of isolation and if they were asymptomatic, O’Neil said there were plenty of other examples of alleged worker exploitation happening around the country, putting people’s health and safety at risk.

“We need to have healthy workers. That ultimately will mean we have a healthy economy,” O’Neil said.

“You can’t have one without another.”

On the topic of RATs, O’Neil acknowledged much of the blame for lack of supply can be laid at the Federal Government’s feet, but she said they have “chosen to ignore our requests for urgent action”.


RELATED: Staff shortages mean "code red for retail" as hospitality operators plead for government support


Similarly, in response to the ACTU’s threats of a general strike, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Andrew McKellar said National Cabinet needed to step up and provide free and accessible rapid antigen testing for small businesses.

“We have been calling since September last year for National Cabinet to make rapid antigen testing freely and widely available, particularly for small businesses,” McKellar said.

“When many businesses are struggling to keep their doors open due to severe staff shortages, supply chain constraints and a sharp drop in consumer activity, now is not the appropriate time to saddle them with complex testing regulation and extra cost. Many businesses, particularly small and family businesses, do not have the funds, capacity or expert skills to implement a functional rapid testing regime.

“It’s not too late for National Cabinet to change its mind and provide free and accessible rapid antigen testing for small businesses across all states so that they can detect cases earlier, limit the spread, and keep their workplaces open.”

O’Neil added that the ACTU’s demands are simply about ensuring Australian workplaces are safe.

“When employers don’t meet their obligations, and these are legal obligations to keep workers safe, then we’ll take action,” she said.

“Workers have a legal right to cease work if it’s unsafe. Now, that’s always the last thing people want to do, and we would hope that reasonable employers will work with their workforce and unions to make sure people are safe.”


Victoria declares Pandemic Code Brown at hospitals to stay ahead of climb in COVID patient numbers

Victoria declares Pandemic Code Brown at hospitals to stay ahead of climb in COVID patient numbers

The Victorian Government will put emergency measures in place across all public metropolitan and major regional hospitals from midday tomorrow, in a bid to stay on top of pressing demands on the health system as COVID case numbers rise.

Like many around the world, Victoria’s health system is juggling workforce shortages because of staff in isolation, a vast number of coronavirus patients requiring hospitalisation, and ongoing treatment for patients with urgent and emergency needs. 

In response, the government has announced a 'Pandemic Code Brown' - a measure normally used in emergency events such as bushfires - to reconfigure services to free up more staff, including the delivery of outpatient services outside the hospital, and the rapid offload of ambulance patients at emergency departments to get paramedics back on the road as soon as possible. 

Hospitals may also choose to redeploy staff to work in areas of highest clinical priority, and in some cases might mean health worker consultation about leave arrangements.

The state currently has 1,152 COVID patients hospitalised with the virus, but Acting Minister for Health James Merlino explained hospitalisation numbers tended to lag behind daily case rates and would likely peak over the next two to four weeks.

"COVID hospitalisations are already at record levels, and as we’ve seen in New South Wales, that’s likely to increase by around 100 people per day," Merlino said on what has been the deadliest day of the pandemic to date for Australia with 74 deaths from the virus from NSW, VIC and QLD alone.

"If we see what we've been seeing in New South Wales of 100 a day, we could well get to 2,500 hospitalisations and more over the next few weeks, so now is the right time to implement this plan; now is the right time to act.

"Hospitalisations lag a few weeks behind the peak of the numbers, and then ICU follows on from that."

Against this backdrop, Merlino has also called on more Victorians to get vaccinations or booster shots to help reduce the strain on the system.

"Having said all of that, the more people who get their third dose, the more children who are vaccinated, the lower the number in our hospital system will be," Merlino says.

In addition to hospitals in Metropolitan Melbourne, the Code Brown will be implemented at Barwon Health, Grampians Health, Bendigo Health, Goulburn Valley Health, Albury Wodonga Health and Latrobe Regional Hospital.

The Department of Health will also establish a new Health Service Response Centre which will help hospitals coordinate patient flow, distribute activity and support decisions around service reconfiguration – such as suspending some activity or moving to home-based care.

The Pandemic Code Brown is expected to last four to six weeks and health officials will monitor the situation to determine when it’s safe to begin winding down arrangements.

"Our hardworking health workers on the front-line are caring for record numbers of coronavirus patients every day – this is the best way to ensure our hospitals can continue to safely care for those that need it most," Merlino says.

"Our health services will have to make some hard decisions over the next few weeks to manage increasing demand and I thank every single one of them for making the tough calls necessary to help as many Victorians as they can.

"This coordinated approach will help ease the pressure on individual hospitals by better sharing the load across our system through prioritising resources, redistributing patient demand across the system and managing workforce shortages."

Updated at 1:28pm AEDT on 18 January 2022.


Bod to launch UK clinical trial into medicinal cannabis efficacy on long COVID

Bod to launch UK clinical trial into medicinal cannabis efficacy on long COVID

With an estimated 1.3 million people in the United Kingdom suffering from extended effects following an initial infection of COVID-19, Australian medicinal cannabis company Bod Australia (ASX: BOD) is looking to conduct a clinical trial into the efficacy of its products on long COVID.

The company today announced it received Clinical Trail Authorisation by the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, allowing it to commence a clinical trial into the effectiveness of its MediCabilis 5% CBD product on long-COVID.

This follows final protocol design and ethics approval, allowing for immediate commencement of Bod’s participant recruitment process.

The study will see 30 trial participants recruited that are suffering from long COVID - a condition without a leading treatment where symptoms of an initial COVID-19 infection continue for more than eight weeks.

Participants in the trial will be administered daily doses of Bod’s medicinal cannabis product MediCabilis 5% over a six month period, allowing Bod to capture efficacy data and provides a pathway towards the commercialisation of a potential treatment product which would be sold throughout the UK and other countries.

“There are a wide range of long COVID indications, including shortness of breath, fatigue, worsening chest discomfort, loss of concentration, chronic pain, anxiety and insomnia,” says BOD.

“Many of these symptoms may be amenable to treatment with cannabis-based medicinal products, highlighting a significant opportunity for Bod.”

The medicinal cannabis company says success in the initiative would unlock a large market opportunity, with the UK Office of National Statistics estimating 1.3 million people in the UK are currently suffering from the condition, and that approximately one in every 40 people with COVID-19 have symptoms lasting at least three months.

Bod CEO Jo Patterson said she was confident that MediCabilis may provide a solution to the condition, given it is already being used to alleviate a number of conditions which are common in people suffering long-COVID.

“While there aren’t any existing treatments for long-COVID, our medicinal cannabis products have been used to treat and alleviate a number of similar conditions,” Patterson said.

“We anticipate that this clinical trial will provide us with great insight into its potential to treat long-COVID and build on the body of evidence for the use of cannabis-based medicines, in place of other pharmaceuticals.

“We will utilise the data generated to gain a better understanding of whether MediCabilis can be used as a potential treatment and how we can expedite further product commercialisation, which will underpin ongoing sales growth.”

Shares in BOD are up 6.82 per cent to $0.24 per share at 12.09pm AEDT. The company came in 17th in last year's list of Australia's top 20 listed cannabis companies published in July, although its share price is down 27 per cent since then. 


NSW announces $43 million lifeline for cancelled major events and festivals

NSW announces $43 million lifeline for cancelled major events and festivals

The New South Wales government has today established a $43 million fund to support organisers of major events and festivals that have been cancelled or disrupted by COVID-19 public health orders.

The funding will ensure that organisers that have to cancel, postpone or vary their events because of new public health orders will receive financial support to pay suppliers, staff and recover other costs.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the ‘Event Saver Fund’ is a lifeline for major event organisers, providing them with the financial security and certainty to plan and deliver future events in the state.

“Major events are a key economic driver that create thousands of jobs across the state,” Premier Perrottet said.

“The Event Saver Fund will ensure that organisers aren’t left high and dry as we work through this latest phase of the pandemic and sends a strong signal that the Government is here to support business.”

Expressions of interest are now open for the Event Saver program for organisers of major events scheduled to be held between 15 December 2021 to the end of 2022, and will close on 30 September 2022.

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the funding was recognition of the important impact major events have on driving tourism as well as on the broader NSW economy.

“Festivals and major events are huge drawcards and they have been significantly disrupted by the latest Omicron wave of COVID-19,” Kean said.

“It is vital we provide them the support they need when their event is impacted by a Public Health Order. That is exactly what this funding commitment does.”

For more information and to apply for funding, please visit www.create.nsw.gov.au.

Updated at 11.46am AEDT on 17 January 2022.


WA reinstates mask mandate after reporting two new local cases of COVID-19

WA reinstates mask mandate after reporting two new local cases of COVID-19

As Western Australia prepares to reopen its borders on 5 February, mask mandates have been reimposed in Perth and Peel to reduce the spread of COVID-19 after the state reported two new local cases.

Western Australians are now required to wear a mask in all public indoor venues, on public transport (including taxis and ride share vehicles) and when visiting hospitals, disability and aged care facilities.

The state government also recommends people wear masks outdoors when physical distancing is not possible, and children of primary school age or younger and people with medical conditions are exempt to the mandate.

“We now know that there has been several cases of Omicron in the community infectious since 6 January,” said WA Premier Mike McGowan.

“I’m urging everyone in Perth and Peel to check for the latest exposure sites.”

Anyone who attended the following locations is required to immediately get tested for COVID-19 and to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last exposure:

  • U Natural Spa Therapy (Applecross): between 7 to 13 January
  • New U Massage (Mount Lawley): between 10:00am and 8:30pm on 10 January

From Monday 31 January, proof of vaccination for people aged 16 years and over will be required state-wide for:

  • Visitors to public and private hospitals, and residential aged care facilities;
  • All hospitality and food and licensed venues:
    • including restaurants, dine-in fast food, cafes, bars, pubs, clubs, taverns;
    • excluding food and non-alcoholic beverage takeaway, roadhouses, and service stations
  • Bottle shops;
  • Indoor entertainment venues, including play centres, gaming and gambling, theatres, concert halls, museums, cinemas and live music venues, including the Perth Convention Centre;
  • Nightclubs;
  • The Crown Perth complex;
  • Major stadiums;
  • Gyms, fitness studios and centres;
  • Amusement Parks and the Zoo; and
  • Music festivals and large events with more than 500 people, unless exempt.

“We now have Omicron in our community and we cannot afford to be complacent,” WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said.

“As we attempt to limit the spread of Omicron in our community it is crucial that those who need to get tested do so immediately.

“We have fought off this virus in Western Australia so far, but we know that Omicron is the real game-changer.”

There are no capacity restrictions for venues and events.

There are currently 112 confirmed active cases in WA. Of these, 34 are in hotel quarantine and 78 are in self-quarantine.

Updated at 10.15am AEDT on 17 January 2022.


Victoria joins NSW in reintroducing rent relief for SMEs

Victoria joins NSW in reintroducing rent relief for SMEs

The Australian peak body for retailers has welcomed the reintroduction of a rent relief scheme for small businesses in Victoria following a similar move made by New South Wales last week.

The Victorian Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme was reintroduced over the weekend, meaning rent negotiation rights are again available through to 15 March for businesses with an annual turnover of $10 million.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) says measures like the Victorian scheme are imperative for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) to survive the ongoing impact of Omicron, as well as the associated supply chain costs and staff shortages.

ARA CEO Paul Zahra said given the wide-scale impacts of Omicron, he would like to see this extended to small businesses in every state and territory with a threshold of up to $50 million turnover as was previously in place.

“We’ve entered unchartered territory with Omicron with small businesses struggling to keep their doors open due to tens of thousands of daily staff isolations and ever-rising supply chain costs.  This is taking an enormous toll on the retail workforce and small businesses who’ve had to limit their trading hours or close altogether,” Zahra said.

“Rent is a significant pain point for small businesses, and we thank the Victorian government on its leadership during this difficult period. Victoria has consistently offered these leasing protections through the pandemic and that has saved the lives of many hundreds of small businesses.

“Whilst we would like to see the scheme restored to its original 50 million turnover level, this measure will certainly go a long way in helping small businesses survive.”

Every other jurisdiction in Australia saw their small business rent relief schemes expire in 2021, except for the Northern Territory which never had a formal program. Instead, small business tenants in the top end were encouraged to negotiate in good faith with landlords.

“We have not seen the pandemic impact the sector on this scale and for the first-time retailers are having to navigate these impacts with almost no support from governments,” Zahra said.

“It’s clear that the impacts of Omicron will be ongoing and that targeted support packages will be needed from governments to support small businesses through this unprecedented challenge.”

Updated at 9.31am AEDT on 17 January 2022.


ARA calls on other jurisdictions to follow NSW's lead with targeted support for retailers

ARA calls on other jurisdictions to follow NSW's lead with targeted support for retailers

The New South Wales government’s move to extend rent negotiation rights for the state’s small businesses is a welcome move according to the retail industry’s peak body, but the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) says more can to be done nationally.

Announced yesterday, the extension of rent negotiation rights in NSW will last until March 13 for for SMEs (small-medium enterprises) with an annual turnover of less than $5 million.

In addition, provisions in the Leasing Code of Conduct will continue with rent relief mandated in proportion to a business’ decline in turnover.

The ARA says it welcomes the move by the NSW government, but notes retailers in other states are being left behind by leasing codes of conduct which have now expired.

For example, Victoria's Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme ended on 15 January, leaving small businesses vulnerable to significant cashflow challenges in the first quarter. On Wednesday, retail business advocates in Melbourne's Chapel Street Precinct described a perfect storm of deferred payroll taxes and wage increases combined with staff shortages and closures due to COVID infections.

ARA CEO Paul Zahra said leasing protections should be re-enacted in other jurisdictions with small businesses struggling to keep their doors open due to staff isolations and increasing supply chain costs. 

“We’ve entered uncharted territory with Omicron and small businesses are dealing with a fresh wave of challenges with tens of thousands of people being forced into isolation every day,” Zahra said.

“This is taking an enormous toll on the retail workforce and small businesses who’ve had to limit their trading hours or close altogether.

“Rent is a significant pain point for small businesses, and we welcome the decision of the NSW Government to extend leasing protections through this difficult period. Given the widescale impacts of Omicron, we would like to see this extended to small businesses with a threshold of up to $50 million as was previously in place. We are also calling on other states and territories to follow suit and enact similar support measures.”

Zahra said the issues for SMEs are magnified because of the lack of government support compared to other times during the pandemic, now in its third calendar year.

“We have not seen the pandemic impact the sector on this scale and for the first time retailers are having to navigate these impacts with almost no support from governments,” Zahra said.

“It’s clear that the impacts of Omicron will be ongoing and that targeted support packages will be needed from governments to support small businesses through this unprecedented challenge.”

The CEO also welcomed National Cabinet’s decision to allow foreign students to work extra hours, along with the extension of close contact isolation exemptions to a wider range of industries.

“Allowing foreign students to work extra hours is a positive step, but we need to get more people back to work sooner where it is safe to do so,” Zahra said.

“We welcome the easing of close contact isolation requirements for essential workers along the food supply chain but we’d like to see these exemptions expanded across the supply chain and the broader retail sector to help reduce stock-outs and staffing shortages.”

Updated at 4.00pm AEDT on 14 January 2022.


WA vaccine mandate to expand state-wide from 31 January

WA vaccine mandate to expand state-wide from 31 January

Proof of vaccination requirements will apply to venues and events state-wide in Western Australia from Monday, 31 January as part of an expansion of the mandate which will also apply to more higher-risk venues.

Since 4 January, proof of vaccination has been required for a number of higher risk venues and events in Perth and Peel, as part of a transition from a cluster of cases traced back to a backpacker.

The expansion of the mandate means the following venues and events will require patrons aged 16 and older to have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine:

  • visitors to public and private hospitals, and aged care facilities;
  • all hospitality venues including restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, clubs, taverns, night clubs and dine-in fast food (roadhouses, service stations and takeaway is exempt);
  • indoor entertainment venues, including play centres, gaming and gambling, theatres, concert halls, museums, cinemas and live music venues;
  • bottle shops;
  • the entire Crown Perth complex;
  • major stadiums;
  • gyms, fitness centres and health studios;
  • amusement parks and the Zoo; and
  • music festivals and large events with more than 500 people, unless exempt.

Community sport and school-based events, unless at one of the specific venues listed, are exempt from the proof of vaccination requirement.

"The expanded policy will take effect from January 31 when vaccination mandates for the Group 2 workforce will also take effect,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said.

"This means the vast majority of Western Australians will be double dose vaccinated and we are providing businesses and venues more than two weeks to implement the changes.

"I thank businesses and the community for their efforts in Perth and Peel to make the policy to date a success. We now need to replicate that success across the State.”

The changes come ahead of a planned reopening of WA’s hard interstate and international borders, expected to come into effect from 5 February.

From that date, interstate travellers will be permitted to enter WA as long as they have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

For those looking to spend more than six days in WA, a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure will be required, and a PCR test must again be taken at within 48 hours of arrival.

For trips of five days in duration or less, travellers just need to show proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure.

Updated at 9.37am AEDT on 14 January 2021.


Queensland to drop domestic border restrictions from Saturday

Queensland to drop domestic border restrictions from Saturday

Those travelling into Queensland from interstate will no longer be required to obtain a border pass or prove they have tested negative to COVID-19 from 1am on Saturday 15 January, as the state creeps closer to another vaccine milestone.

The state’s premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the changes to border restrictions are possible because nearly 90 per cent of Queensland’s eligible population have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine - a threshold she expects will be crossed next week.

Once that target is hit the Premier anticipates changes to Queensland's international border rules will be made, but Palaszczuk said “we will wait until that is fully declared”.

At that point, restrictions for fully vaccinated international arrivals will lift, but unvaccinated overseas travellers will still be required to do quarantine.

“We need to take this step today,” Palaszczuk said.

“I think every Queenslander wants to thank the men and women, especially our police service, that have done a great job.”

 

 

It comes as Queensland today reports 14,914 new cases of COVID-19 and six deaths from the virus, taking the state’s total to 17 deaths since the pandemic began in 2020.

Updated at 11.53am AEDT on 13 January 2022.


Victorian transport, freight, education workers exempt from isolation as of next Tuesday

Victorian transport, freight, education workers exempt from isolation as of next Tuesday

More workers in critical sectors of the Victorian economy will be exempt from close contact isolation requirements from next Tuesday, as the impact of Omicron continues to wreak havoc on the supply chain and the delivery of essential goods and services in the state.

As announced today by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, workers in emergency services, education, critical utilities, custodial facilities, transport and freight will join workers in the food production sector as being eligible for the exemption from 11.59pm on Tuesday 18 January.

Under the conditions of the exemption, the worker may return to work if it is necessary for continuity of operations and if other options have been exhausted. The exemption will apply to attending work only, not any other settings.

In order to be eligible, the worker must first notify the employer of their status as a contact and both parties must consent to the worker returning to the workplace. They are already required to be fully vaccinated.

“Whether it’s waste or power, gas, all the way through to law enforcement, prisons, all of those sectors - they need to continue regardless of the fact that we are in a global pandemic,” Andrews said.

In order to reduce the risk of a contact attending work while infectious, a number of measures will be in place including:

  • The worker must undertake a daily Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for five days and return a negative result prior to attending work each day
  • They must wear a face mask at all times, with exceptions in the case of eating or drinking, or safety reasons, and a P2/N95 respirator is preferred
  • The worker cannot enter shared break areas and the employer must try and facilitate solo break time. The employer must also take reasonable steps to deploy the worker in areas where transmission risk is lower
  • If at any time the worker develops symptoms or tests positive on a RAT, the exemption no longer applies – they are a case, must isolate for seven days, and must notify others including their employer.

“The worker’s rights are protected, and they can’t be directed to work if they are a contact – the worker has to agree to come in, just as they have to agree to the various preventative measures that will reduce risks for others,” Andrews said.

Andrews also noted he spoke with supermarket CEOs yesterday to understand the current constraints on the industry and what they’re facing, emphasising that trucking and freight is the key pain point for the sector right now.

“Last week [the challenge] was distribution centres and there are some real bottlenecks there this week,” he said.

“This week it’s about truck drivers, and a shortage of those to move stock.

“A lot of other challenges are not so much about the availability of stock, but about moving that stock from one part of the state, or one part of the country to another. So we’ll continue to work with them and the unions to try and do whatever we can to ease that pressure.”

The announcement comes as Victoria reported 37,169 new cases of COVID-19 across the state, and in combination with the 92,264 new cases reported in New South Wales brings Australia’s daily tally to more than 100,000 new infections already.

The other Australian states and territories are yet to report the latest case numbers, but yesterday Tasmania reported 1,583 new cases, Queensland 22,069, South Australia 3,715, ACT 1,078, the Northern Territory 352 and Western Australia just two.

In total, Australia reported 103,685 new cases yesterday, 49 deaths, 3,976 people in hospital with the infection, and 341 in intensive care.

Updated at 10.57am AEDT on 13 January 2022.


Staff shortages mean "code red for retail" as hospitality operators plead for government support

Staff shortages mean "code red for retail" as hospitality operators plead for government support

"The tap was turned on in a far lesser time and right now it is code red for retail, so to turn your back right now would be a waste of every dollar you’ve put in over the last 22 months," says Chrissie Maus, general manager of the Chapel Street Precinct in Melbourne.

Businesses operating in one of Australia’s largest retail, hospitality, entertainment and lifestyle precincts have had around 35 per cent of staff come down with COVID-19 since the Christmas period, prompting closures and calls for government support as Omicron besets activity and the ability of managers to plan for the future.

Add to that the effects of "snowballing debt" for many and deferred rents kicking in, and Chrissie Maus of the Chapel Street Precinct says her organisation's 2,200 businesses are at crisis point.

"I don't like to say it, but we're in a lockdown without a lockdown, and with no government cash flow support," says Maus, who is currently recovering from COVID herself but is expecting a virtual meeting soon with Victorian Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford.

"We’ve never had a time where so many businesses have been unable to open or are closed given staff shortages or people who have tested positive to the virus," she says.

"We’re in a far worse position now 22 months later than we have ever been. They [the Federal and State Governments] could share the cost like they did last time."

Chapel Street Precinct general manager Chrissie Maus.

 

Chapel Street Precinct executive chairperson Justin O’Donnell says practically every business in the group - which also includes Greville Street, Prahran - would be better off financially if the state went back into lockdown given the minimal lockdown government cash support.

"That's how slaughtered our poor businesses owners are feeling. Many are working seven days a week as well as double shifts just to cover staff who are not allowed to work," he says.

"We are in the eye of a perfect storm: deferred payroll taxes and wage increases are kicking in now. Chapel Street Precinct is at a crisis point and needs government cash support."

Liam Ganley of Ganley Group - owner of Angus & Bon Steakhouse on Greville Street and St Kilda venues The Fifth Province and Freddie Wimpole’s - has had to close twice since the busy Christmas period with 70 per cent of staff having contracted COVID.

Ganley's steakhouse in Prahran just opened up again last night, and has had more staff come down with the virus since then.

"It’s becoming almost impossible to write a roster, and the problem is that we’re already at bare bones in terms of staff," he says.

"Our losses are a lot more severe than they were during lockdown because we're getting absolutely no help whatsoever.

"We’re trying to maintain the same level of customer service, but it’s just very difficult. Last night the general manager was at the bar making drinks because he had no staff," he says.

He adds some customers show little sympathy for this predicament and still leave bad reviews if they have to wait too long for drinks.

"They just don't get how bad the industry really is and how stuck we all are for staff," Ganley explains.

Angus & Bon.

 

Colin Kelly of Naughty Nancy's says some customers even leave bad reviews when staff follow the rules by asking for vaccine certificates, adding to all the other worries the industry has to deal with. In Kelly's case, all of his staff have caught COVID-19 and the business was forced to close over the peak Christmas period.

"All it takes is for one person to go out sick, and it ruins a whole night and potentially a week. As it’s transpired this year, it took one person to contract the virus and then subsequently the whole team caught it," he says.

"The staff have all recovered, everybody’s back to work but what we’ve found now is venues that mightn’t have had it when we had it, have it now and they're closed or they can't get staff.

"You used to be able to forecast your week – you don’t know anymore. What used to be spread out over 10 to 15 venues is now spread between two to three venues going through the same thing we went through three or four weeks ago."

The restaurateur would like to see the government put forward a clear plan of action, claiming the hospitality industry has been "kept in the dark".

"We’re the ones that have suffered throughout the past two years. We’re the first venues to get closed down, the last to reopen, we’re the ones with the most heavily imposed restrictions on us," he says.

"Every time they make an announcement, it takes two or three days for the actual parameters being enforced to trickle down the line."

Naughty Nancy's.

 

Burgertory Burgers founder and managing director Hash Tayeh has also found the public are not empathetic towards the plight of hospitality companies' staff shortages, describing the current moment as an "unprecedented time - insane to say the least".

"We’ve had to reduce our trading hours across the board with most stores, and four of our stores have actually closed temporarily. We’ve got 260 of our 400 staff infected with COVID – it’s really tough times," he says.

"I hadn’t worked in any of the stores in two years, but I’ve been doing night shifts at our Chapel Street location just so we can keep the doors open.

"Last year we opened 11 stores and that put us as the second-biggest gourmet burger chain in Victoria. We had planned to open up another 15 this year, but I've had to put the brakes on and just see how this is going to play out."

It is a situation Tayeh says has left staff overworked and stressed.

"We’re trying to give them the best support that we can, which is why a lot of my head office staff are working in stores," he says, clarifying the shift from in-store to delivery has meant sales are not an issue for Burgertory at the moment, but finding staff is.

"People are just exhausted, they’re over it, they’re over the different variants, restrictions, doing extra hours, not knowing if they’re going to get COVID, putting up with angry customers who don't understand that we're not short-staffed because we want to be; we’re short-staffed because we don't have a choice."

Burgertory Burgers.

 

Arthur Georgiou, owner of South Yarra dining institution Caffé e Cucina which has been around since 1988, is about to reopen his doors tomorrow after a 13-day closure.

"We were meant to open on the 2nd of January after having the one day off on the 1st of January, but over that 24-hour period there were way too many staff that weren’t feeling too well," he explains.

"Most of them had rapid tests, and most of them had come back positive unfortunately so we made the decision to close.

"Unfortunately 80 per cent of the kitchen got COVID. When you get a majority swing that great in one section of the restaurant, then you can’t operate."

He says the restaurant took a conservative approach of giving affected staff 10 days off rather than seven.

"When you’re in the business of wellbeing and making sure that the people who help you have a successful business are healthy, it’s not just about them being healthy straight away after being in isolation," Georgiou says.

"Being in isolation takes a lot out of you both mentally and physically, so if they have a negative PCR test and you think they can come back to work the same way they were working before they got COVID, then you’re surely mistaken.

"We’ve never done this in 33 years and here we go, we’ll come back bigger and stronger like we have the previous six lockdowns," he says.

He says even with the reopening, bookings are looking like they'll be much lower than normal tomorrow due to diminished demand and concerns over Omicron from the general public.

"Normally we would do 80 people for lunch and 140 for dinner – tomorrow we’ll do 20 for lunch and 80 for dinner.

"I don’t want a handout and freebies forever, but there has to be a better way. There has to be some sort of support mechanism that can be activated."

Caffé e Cucina.

 


Ingham's shares drops as Omicron hits workforce

Ingham's shares drops as Omicron hits workforce

Poultry producer Inghams Group (ASX: ING) has today announced it is facing staff shortages and impacted sales performance as Omicron pecks away at its workforce nationally.

While all of its Australians site remains operational, the company’s production and distribution capabilities have been disrupted due to "significantly lower levels of staff availability".

The company also noted the current COVID-19 outbreak is impacting its logistics operations and some of its suppliers and customers.

Following the announcement, shares in ING have fallen by more than 7 per cent to around $3.28 per share.

“Following the COVID issues we faced in calendar 2021, the recent Omicron surge in Australia has presented unprecedented challenges to Ingham’s Australian business, with many Ingham’s employees being forced to isolate at home due to contracting COVID in the community or as a result of being close contacts,” Inghams Group CEO and managing director Andrew Reeves said.

“We are currently maintaining our Australian processing operations while seeking to ensure the safety and engagement of our employees, many of who are demonstrating outstanding levels of commitment to work through the current challenges.”

Unsure of how long the disruptions will last, Ingham’s said it was premature to draw conclusions on the overall impacts on business and trading results.

The poultry producer's announcement comes after the states of Queensland, Victoria and News South Wales implemented measures which allow close contacts to return to work provided they are asymptomatic in order to reduce the risk of staff shortages in essential industries such as food.

“I would like to acknowledge the recent announcements by both Federal Government and State Governments on changes to isolation rules for close contacts in the food sector which should assist to alleviate some of the current staff shortages," Reeves said.

Despite the ongoing challenges COVID-19 brought in FY21, Ingham’s reported revenue of $2.67 billion, an increase of 4.4 per cent on the year prior ($2.55 billion).

Meanwhile, its statutory NPAT increased by 107.7 per cent, from $40.1 million in FY20 to $83.3 million.

The company expects to release its first-half results for FY22 to market on 18 February.

“As operating conditions begin to stabilise, we expect our production capacity to recover relatively quickly to meet customer and consumer demand," Reeves said.

“We will continue to closely manage our working capital and inventory and seek to implement initiatives to minimise the financial and other impacts of COVID through the second half.”

Updated at 11.11am AEDT on 11 January 2022.


OzSAGE: Major COVID course correction immediately required

OzSAGE: Major COVID course correction immediately required

Australian governments must immediately take action to tackle the present COVID crisis by delaying the return to face-to-face schooling, and reinstating necessary infection mitigations and financial supports.  

The health system is under immense strain, businesses are shutting due to sick staff. Consumer spending estimates show Australians are in a shadow lockdown already. Mass workplace absence due to COVID-19 is already affecting supply chains, food and diesel availability. Exponential growth of the epidemic, predicted to peak in late January by NSW modelling, means unprecedented case numbers will threaten every sector, not just the health system. Sending unvaccinated children back to school at the predicted epidemic peak will worsen the situation.  

Repeated claims from politicians and some health leaders are wrong – that cases ‘do not matter’; that cases had ‘decoupled’ from hospitalisations; and, that the spread of Omicron is a wave that we must ‘ride’. These statements undermine the gravity of the situation, and erode trust in decision-making and leadership, especially when the community is left without access to testing or support. OzSAGE notes the World Health Organization’s latest briefing which states that Omicron is not mild and should not be described as such. 

“A major course correction is required to support our health system, businesses, children and the general health and wellbeing of all Australians,” OzSAGE Member James Bolster said.  

“Every Australian needs access to free rapid tests and N95/P2 masks, because public health must be publicly funded. And, additional infection reduction measures must be reinstated, alongside financial supports for individuals and businesses who have already been hit by reduced activity caused by this outbreak,” Mr Bolster said.   

In addition to recent recommendations, OzSAGE recommends the following immediate actions:

  • Free rapid tests and N95/P2 masks, readily available to everyone 
  • Reinstatement of work from home arrangements, and additional social distancing and venue measures; for the avoidance of doubt, most states and territories must increase their present infection reduction measures further than recent changes 
  • Reinstatement of significant financial support packages for both individuals and businesses impacted by COVID 
  • The postponement of face-to-face schooling for primary and secondary students to enable double vaccination of children; to avoid the late January peak of the present wave (per NSW modelling), and; to ensure indoor air standards are able to be met at all schools. This action must include hybrid learning or alternative arrangements for vulnerable children requiring supervision and emotional support, as well as appropriate IT provisions and support 
  • Review the recent reclassification of ‘close contact’ to align it with evidence and best health practice  
  • Preparation and release of a disaster plan before the further deterioration of conditions, including how disaster resources (such as military support, as seen in UK) will operate to support logistics, food security, the health system and communities. The plan must incorporate vulnerable communities including regional, rural and remote communities, people with disabilities, people at risk from domestic violence, older Australians, economically disadvantaged and First Nations peoples.

Updated at 9.05am AEDT on 11 January 2022.


ARA: Three quarters of retailers currently have staff in isolation

ARA: Three quarters of retailers currently have staff in isolation

New figures from an Australian Retailers Association (ARA) survey shows staff shortages are the most pressing challenge facing the industry at the moment, with 76 per cent of respondents saying they have staff in isolation due to COVID-19.

Half the retail businesses surveyed ranked ‘staff shortages’ as the number one challenge currently, followed by ‘lack of customers’ and ‘supply chain/delivery issues’, with a third noting they had limited trading hours in some locations while one in five had closed locations due to the problem.

The findings demonstrate an “ongoing juggling act for retailers and their rostering managing the current isolation requirements”, according to ARA CEO Paul Zahra.

“We’ve entered an unprecedented staffing challenge as more people are infected with COVID than at any stage before in the pandemic. This builds on an existing skills crisis within the retail and hospitality sectors,” Zahra said.

“Many retailers are having to limit trading hours or close stores altogether because they don’t have the staff available. For small businesses, a couple of cases can wipe out their entire workforce. 

“We welcome the moves to ease isolation requirements on essential workers who are close contacts. However, more needs to be done to ease the pressure on this critical workforce so they can adequately staff their stores and move essential goods efficiently across the country.”

Zahra reiterated calls to the Federal, State and Territory governments to work more closely with the industry to clear any impediments to getting people safely back to work, and return domestic supply chains to a more sustainable footing.

“Whilst we expect supply chain challenges to linger for the rest of the year due to global pressures, we do expect this short-term congestion to ease in the coming weeks as Omicron cases hopefully peak and decline as predicted by the health authorities,” Zahra said.

“Retailers are working intensely to solve these challenges for their customers as they have throughout the pandemic. We ask that customers remain patient and respectful towards their teams during this intense period.”

Updated at 2.56pm AEDT on 10 January 2022.


VIC food and beverage workers exempt from close contact rules, boosters mandatory for key sectors

VIC food and beverage workers exempt from close contact rules, boosters mandatory for key sectors

The Victorian Government has today announced workers in key settings such as health care, hospitality and aged care will be required receive a third COVID-19 vaccine dose before being permitted to work on site from 12 January.

The latest announcement comes as the Victorian Government follows Queensland and New South Wales in changing the rules for close contacts of a COVID-19 case, allowing food and beverage workers to attend work if they are asymptomatic in order to ensure Victorians can continue to access essential supplies.

Under the new pandemic orders, workers in healthcare, aged care, disability, emergency services, correctional facilities, quarantine accommodation and food distribution must get their third dose before being permitted to work onsite from 11.15pm 12 January.

Workers eligible for a third dose on or before Wednesday 12 January will have until Saturday 12 February to get their third dose. Workers not yet eligible for a third dose will be required to get it within three months and two weeks of the deadline to receive their second mandatory dose.

This means residential aged care workers must receive their third dose by 1 March, and health care workers by 29 March. Disability, quarantine accommodation, correctional facilities, emergency services, and food distribution workers will need to receive their third dose by 12 March.

Food distribution workers includes manufacturing, warehousing and transport (freight/port) workers involved in food distribution. Retail supermarket staff are not included in the mandate.

“This order responds to the increased risks of COVID-19 exposure to critical workers, their proximity to vulnerable people, the higher risk of the virus spreading in their workplace and the need to protect access to essential goods and services,” the Victorian Government said.

'All Victorians continue to be encouraged to get their third dose as soon as they become eligible and we’ll continue working with public health experts and industry on vaccination requirements.”

In line with changes made by Queensland and New South Wales over the weekend, Victoria has also moved to allow workers in key sectors to go to work even if they are a close contact, as long as they asymptomatic.

Those in the manufacturing, distribution or packaging of food and beverages including retail supermarket workers may be exempted from close contact isolation requirements in order to attend work, if it is “necessary for continuity of operations and other options have been exhausted”.

Exempt workers must also undertake daily rapid tests for five days and return a negative result prior to attending work under the new rules which come intro effect on 11.59pm 12 January.

In addition, face coverings must be worn, using N95/P2 respirators if possible. Both the worker and workplace must consent to the worker’s return.

In addition, indoor dance floors within hospitality and entertainment venues must close from 11.59pm on 12 January. Venues will still be permitted to operate and there are no more changes to the density settings currently in place.

Indoor dance floors at weddings will still be permitted under the change, but the Government notes hosts and gusts “should still consider the risks of dancefloors and choose to locate them outdoors if possible”.

“Victoria is open and the community is encouraged to support businesses in a COVIDSafe way,” Victorian Minister for Health Martin Foley said.

“Closing indoor dancefloors is a simple but important step – we know they pose an extraordinary risk of mass transmission.”

Further, new visitor restrictions will be applied to hospitals and aged care settings. Residents at aged care centres will continue to be permitted up to five visitors per day, but visitors must return a negative RAT result before entering. If no RATs are available at the facility, residents will be permitted no more than two visitors.

Visitors in hospitals must have received two doses of the vaccine or must return a negative RAT result before entering. Adult visitors who are not fully vaccinated must wear an N95 mask during their visit. Standard face masks continue to be mandated for children aged 8 and above.

Finally, Foley has announced fully vaccinated international arrivals will no longer need to get a second PCR or RAT five to seven days after their arrival.

The State Government says this change is in line with the decision of National Cabinet last week and recognises the high levels of COVID-19 transmission currently in the community.

Updated at 11.38am AEDT on 10 January 2022.