Pressure is building on the Victorian government to help revive Melbourne’s CBD as occupancy rates lag other capital cities and business groups push for stronger return-to-office mandates.and almost one in five shopfronts remain empty.
But business groups have called for a more ambitious plan to boost daytime use of the CBD and encourage more tourists and international students to return to Victoria.Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said Melbourne was having little problem getting people into bars and theatres in the evenings and on weekends, but daytime trade left a lot to be desired.
“With the office occupancy rate in Melbourne’s CBD still the lowest among state and territory capitals, state and local governments need to be pulling out all the stops to encourage tourists and workers to return,” he said.The Victorian head of employer association Ai Group, Tim Piper, said it was incumbent on the City of Melbourne and the Victorian government to “get people back into the offices” and using the city’s services as quickly as possible.
“The state government needs to work jointly with property owners, with the City of Melbourne and with businesses to make sure that there’s a long-term revitalisation package,” he said.City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said empty storefronts were still an issue for the city, with vacancy rates well above the pre-pandemic level of 5 per cent and hovering around 17 per cent.“We’ve used our events as a major strategy for bringing people back after COVID,” Ms Capp said.
Business groups (banks, insurance, retail companies etc.) have about 80% of the CBD workforce. What are the plans for their staff?
They won’t quit. They need to work to keep up with the cost of living. When gas prices explode next year, staff won’t want to pay their stay at home gas bills.
You people wanted to let it rip - suck it up 🤣
CBD businesses have had enough share of our wallets for years, charging $12 sandwiches and $5 coffees
If going back makes sense and is in everyone's interests then how about just explaining the case to office workers?
Bad news for CBD business here is good news for small business in the suburbs - yes, the suburbs (we exist) deserve a ‘fair go’ too. Surely big CBD businesses aren’t encouraging government intervention when they campaign so hard for deregulation. That would be hypocritical 🤪
If it saves people $4,000 a year to wfh and go into office a couple of days a week, then what’s the problem? Productivity and work output has been shown to increase. Sounds like another push from the property lobby. 🤔
The face of a scape goat then. Why don't business be smart & start renting out their offices & not renew rents. We were tracking this way, there will always be someone willing to provide greater flexibility. Have you not seen the unemployment rate?
He's too busy calling everyone nazis so no real plan.
‘Return to the office push’ ? - I thought we now live an era of ‘personal responsibility’ and people ‘don’t like to be told what to do’
Your only hope to partially rehabilitate the CBD. Full rehabilitation might have occurred if airborne disease control had occurred from the start creating a more stable zero COVID environment. As it is, people have adapted, and they won’t regress. 👇🏽
Let's get the Great Resignation started!