New data has revealed the agonisingly long road to recovery from six COVID lockdowns, with figures today showing Melbourne CBD has been set back two decades and more than one in five shops are empty and gathering dust.
It comes a day after Premier Daniel Andrews delivered disappointment for CBD businesses hoping the return of public sector workers full-time in the office would inject spending into cafes, restaurants and retail.
Shadow Minister for CBD Recovery David Southwick said the Premier’s commitment to returning public sector workers at 60 per cent did not go far enough to deliver hope.
“Instead of offering a positive plan to get Melbourne back to the most liveable city, no plan Dan has turned our CBD into the most leave-able,” Mr Southwick said.
“Victoria needs a government that will deliver a vision to recover and rebuild, but the Premier is full of short-sighted disappointment.
“Our city will only recover with optimistic targets and initiatives that enourage people back into the CBD for work and play.
“The Government has a responsibility to lead by example by encouraging public servants back into city.
“It will not just support our struggling small business owners – it will help increase the productivity and creativity of our public sector.”
There are other immediate opportunities that should be implemented to support the CBD’s recovery and return a thriving heartbeat to our state’s capital.
Workers across the public and private sectors should be supported to return to the office, including with free public transport, small businesses support and other incentives.
Critically, hybrid working arrangements cannot mean Mondays and Fridays working from home.
Cities need people and Melbourne will never recover and rebuild to the world’s most liveable city again while public servants and CBD workers leave the city a ghost town for four consecutive days each and every week.
