The report outlines three major steps to reopen the country, avoid the risk of snap lockdowns and provide security for business investment and the economy.The first step of the plan would be to permanently reopen state borders once the federal government’s phase 1b was underway, with capacity limits removed for all venues, workplaces and outdoor gatherings.By this stage, 678,000 high-risk workers and vulnerable Australians will have been vaccinated and another 6 million people in line to receive their first jab.Once step 2a had started, leading to more than 13 million vaccinated Australians, international borders would then reopen to approved groups with hotel quarantine in place where needed.Low risk countries would then be allowed to enter Australia during phase 2b, with borders fully open once 20 million people had received the jab. The report was compiled based on research produced by AccentureBusiness Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said shutting domestic borders was costing the country $2.1 billion per month, with more than half of Australians saying they won’t travel because of snap closures.“Now that we know much more about the virus and have a clear vaccination rollout plan, there should be no excuse for knee-jerk reactions,” she said.“Instead of another year of stop-starts and uncertainty, we’re calling on national cabinet to use the vaccine rollout to give people the ability to plan and get on with opening the country back up.“As more Australians are vaccinated we can build confidence by unwinding the confusing patchwork of restrictions across the country in line with the reduced risk.”“National cabinet must adopt a risk based approach to opening the economy in line with the vaccine rollout, monitoring vaccine take up and effectiveness as we go. Ms Westacott said Australia needed to shift from reports about case numbers to a focus on the increasing number of vaccinations.“Sectors like tourism, where employment has halved since the pandemic began, will continue to be hard hit while international borders are closed,” she said.“With carefully targeted support we can position these businesses to ramp back up and re-create jobs once it is safe to do so.” Expressomondo owner Johnny Sandish said he was just starting to notice signs of recovery in his CBD business, but that had he been hit hard by Victoria’s recent five-day lockdown.“We had to throw out so much food and lost the takings from a big Valentines Day weekend,” he said.“Right now our business is significantly down … It is time for people to move on with their life.”
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