Home topics news Credit: Pixabay News News VIC Government should go back to the drawing board: ACCI Ellie Dudley September 9, 2020 The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) has put out a statement arguing that the Victorian Government’s roadmap for reopening Metropolitan Melbourne uses excessive thresholds for easing restrictions and should be overhauled using the National roadmap as the basis. “The Victorian Government should use the national roadmap as a starting point for getting to COVID normal and to get the state back on track and re-aligned with the rest of Australia,” ACCI CEO James Pearson said. “They have overlooked sensible risk management approaches which we have seen implemented very effectively in NSW when it comes to managing outbreaks.” The ACCIs statement comes off the back of Premier Daniel Andrews’ announcement on Sunday of the state government’s “safe and steady” approach to reopening. This has been met with disagreement from many SMEs and customer-facing businesses. “Businesses are not against the state roadmap’s ‘first step’ to tighten the virus spread in the next two weeks of lockdown,” says Mr Pearson. “It’s the second stage onwards, the tail end of the roadmap, which is disproportionate to risk. It is destroying business confidence.” Mr Pearson said the trigger points used are “excessive” and are not a realistic attempt to balance the health risk with the economic and social costs. “Requiring no new cases for a fortnight before restaurants and cafes can operate at restricted capacity indoors is a hurdle too high