Monday’s long-awaited return to city workplaces was certainly no stampede, prompting the opposition to call for “real incentives” – such as free public transport – to get people back into offices. It comes as Victoria on Tuesday announced 6879 new Covid cases and 18 deaths.There are currently 255 patients being treated for Covid in hospital, including 41 receiving intensive care, five of which are on a ventilator.There are 40,822 active cases across the state.Business groups welcomed an increase in foot traffic in Melbourne after the state government lifted its recommendation to work from home, allowing workers to return to their desks.Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said he had noticed a 20 to 25 per cent increase in people moving about the city compared with previous Mondays. “We know this is going to be a gradual return but today is a really good start,” he said.“Mondays are traditionally the slowest day in the CBD so I’d expect to see that increase. I think most workplaces that I’ve spoken to are going to target that three days a week in the office and two days at home to get that blended environment.”The state opposition called on the government to introduce more incentives – including free public transport and business vouchers.Opposition spokesman for CBD recovery, David Southwick, said most workers would want long weekends by working from home on Mondays and Fridays.“If the Andrews government doesn’t have a plan to bring workers back, Monday and Friday will become a public holiday. We can’t have the city operating Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,” he said.“We’ve got to have a plan that spreads people back Monday to Friday. To do that, we need real incentives. This needs to be a game-changer.”The Department of Transport reported a noticeable increase in rail passengers getting off at city stations.“Our data suggests Mondays and Fridays will be popular working from home days so we expect the network to get busier over the next few days,” a spokeswoman said.Ana Marinkovic of NAB said there was a “real buzz” in the bank’s Bourke St office.“The benefits of being back in the office are immense,” Ms Marinkovic said.There was a mixed response from smaller traders, as employees at French Fix cafe on Queens St were run off their feet with orders.French Fix waiter Paul Laucher-Linares said each week got busier. “The increasing number of people returning to offices has been fantastic,” he said.Cafe Kinetic owner Eva Mihailidis said her business on Flinders Lane didn’t notice an increase in coffee orders.“There are definitely not enough office workers in town,” she said.Meanwhile, Restaurant and Catering Australia chief executive Wes Lambert called for the removal of the mask mandate in hospitality.“What is the health (and) science behind it? It just contributes to the FOGO – fear of going out,” he said.NED-5250-Victoria’s Covid-19 statistics
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