“The snap back to COVID-normal, if you like, that we’ve had previously – we’re not at that stage yet,” he said. “We’re moving by safe and steady increments with a view to continue to ease restrictions as we go along, as we run down these last few cases while bearing in mind that there may well be cases out in the community.”
Among the changes for Greater Melbourne announced on Wednesday were the lifting of hospitality capacity limits from 50 to 75 people indoors and office numbers from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, along with the reopening of gyms and seated service at nightclubs.
Tim Piper, Victorian head of the national employer association Australian Industry Group, said the piecemeal move out of lockdown left industries with a “sense of limbo with a lack of confidence on what is happening in the future”.
“Businesses and government are wallowing in a growing sea of debt and what I’m really worried about here is that with these continuing restrictions, the community loses confidence and businesses lose confidence to bounce back properly,” Mr Piper said.