Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox says the extension of Victoria’s emergency powers has bleak ramifications for business as it indicates the state’s reopening timeline will be pushed further back.
| Mr Willox said extending the state’s emergency powers “sends a terrible signal" to businesses and the community more broadly. "The state will remain closed for business; it’s not going to be open for investment. Who would invest in a state of emergency?” he said. “Victoria is in a very dark, bleak place." Victoria Jobs Minister Martin Pakula held talks with industry groups about launching a program assisting businesses with re-opening.
"Where's the spark going to come from? Are they thinking about things like payroll tax holidays. What incentives are they looking at for business. How are they going to get young people back into the workplace? "All of these things government can give direction to but until they give direction business is sort of stuck." Treasury estimated this week 60 per cent of the 2.
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Revised Andrews govt emergency powers extension expected to pass Vic parliament | Sky News AustraliaDaniel Andrews is today expected to secure an extension of Victoria's state of emergency powers by six months if he can secure the support of three cross-benchers as the legislation heads to the upper house.\n\nIn an apparent compromise, the Premier initially pushed for a 12-month extension to the powers as an 'insurance policy', met with backlash from Opposition MPs as well as the Victorian community.\n\nThe plan allows the Victoria government to extend a state of emergency in four-week blocks for up to 12 months as well as greater powers to enforce mandatory quarantine, COVID safe plans for businesses and mandatory mask-wearing.\n\nSome MPs indicated they supported a revised version of the plan that reduced the extension of powers to three months, however Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said his party would not support it.\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
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Crossbench MP's band with Andrews government to pass bill extending emergency powers | Sky News AustraliaGreens MP Samantha Ratnam will be returning from maternity leave to vote with the Andrews government and pass legislation extending state of emergency powers for an additional six months.\n \nShe joins Reason Party Leader Fiona Patten and Animal Justice party MP Andy Meddick who have teamed up to get the Premier’s bill across the line.\n\nEmergency powers acquired by the Victorian government in response to the coronavirus are currently set to expire on September 13.\n\nMandating masks and self-isolation are among the list of measures which can be imposed on Victorian citizens under a state of emergency. \n\nThe Victorian Health Minister spoke in favour of the bill saying it would provide the legal framework needed to move the state through the pandemic. \n\nHowever, Victorian Liberal MP David Davis questioned the sudden urgency of the legislation, saying the Andrews government had months to bring the proposed bill before the parliament.\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
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Latest & Breaking News Melbourne, Victoria | The AgeThe Age has the latest local news on Melbourne, Victoria. Read National News from Australia, World News, Business News and Breaking News stories.
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Vic state of disaster extended to Sept 13 | Sky News AustraliaPremier Daniel Andrews has confirmed Victoria’s state of disaster will be extended and brought into line with the state of emergency but warned the slated September 13 end date didn't necessarily mean either emergency declarations would come off.\n\nThe Premier said he received the advice to extend the state of disaster, which came into effect on August 2, from the Minister for Emergency Services and the Emergency Management Commissioner. \n\n“There was always going to need to be an extension,' Mr Andrews said.\n\nHe said while the state of emergency could be extended for an additional six weeks, the Victorian government was only capable of extending a state of disaster for four weeks. \n\n“We think having both of those frameworks on the same timetable is important and will serve us well when we get to announcements on the weekend about the road map,… about what the weeks and months ahead will look like,” Mr Andrews said.\n\n“I just want to caution that doesn't necessarily mean that either the state of emergency or the state of disaster will automatically come off on the 13th, so I don't want people to read into the alignment that those measures will all of a sudden expire on the 13th.\n\n“Those decisions and that road map out, indeed multiple roadmaps for regional Victoria as well as metropolitan Melbourne, will be driven by the data.”\n\nThe state reported 90 new infections and six deaths in the past 24-hour-period, with three of the deaths occurring before Tuesday. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia \n\n
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Victoria's state-of-emergency powers extended for six monthsThe state government has won a six-month extension of its powers to declare the coronavirus pandemic an ongoing state of emergency, following a marathon debate overnight.
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JobKeeper extension passes federal parliament | Sky News AustraliaJobKeeper payments will continue at a lower rate beyond next month after changes to the government’s subsidy scheme passed through the federal parliament. \n\nFull time workers will receive $1200 a fortnight while part time workers will receive $750 a fortnight, before the rate is revised down to a maximum payment of $1000 a fortnight from December to March. \n\nTreasurer Josh Frydenberg said the six-month extension provided an important lifeline to millions of Australian jobs and businesses. \n\n“There’s also critical industrial relations, flexibility arrangements that come with this legislation and that’s going to be absolutely critical to our economic recovery,” he said.\n\nImage: Getty
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