The peak employer association Ai Group has called on the Victorian Government to be more targeted in its lockdown and focus more of its efforts in the west of Melbourne so as to be able to remove restrictions on the city as soon as possible.
"It seems as though short, sharp lockdowns are no longer possible in Victoria. We encourage the Government to have a more nuanced approach and introduce greater restrictions in postcodes where the most significant problems are located and lesser restrictions elsewhere," Ai Group's Victorian head, Tim Piper, said today.
"Our leaders also need to generate hope and assure the community that their good work in adhering to restrictions will result in an easing of the lockdown in areas relatively free of the virus. Instead we are left in limbo with only the promise of at least another week.
"It is concerning to hear reports that in communities in Melbourne's west, where there are the most infections, vaccinations were hard to obtain and testing was taking too long.
"It's absolutely vital that the hardest hit communities are given every encouragement to test and vaccinate. Western Health is really stretched at the moment. It should be 'all hands on deck' to offer them everything they need," Mr Piper said.
