? Health News
- Victoria’s 4th lockdown is underway, and is due to end at 11:59pm on Thursday. So far 54 cases have been identified, with high testing rates over several thousand close contacts and almost 200 venues of high concern.
- The Victorian government have announced a $250million business support package to target 90,000 businesses affected by the current lockdown.
- Extensive vaccination coverage is the best way for Australia to avoid further lockdowns and manage any outbreaks that do occur. Find out how to book in for your vaccine here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccination-nsw/getting-vaccinated
- Don’t forget to use QR codes when visiting a venue (no matter what kind or for how long), and if you are a venue operator or business owner, make sure that your customers are continuing to use QR codes. Check in numbers are reducing across NSW which is a worrying trend. If a case does slip out into the community, check ins using QR codes are a key way for contact tracers to do their work and contain the spread.
? Regional News
- There is help available for regional communities battling the mouse plague, and funding has been backdated to February! Visit here for more details: https://www.nsw.gov.au/initiative/mouse-control-support-program
- Unemployment in the New England and North West region remains under national averages, with the rate sitting at 4.7%.
? Business & Employment News
- The latest employment data reveals that there are currently 288,700 unfilled positions in Australia, the highest job vacancy rate ever recorded. Experts believe much of this is due to our closed international borders and ongoing threats of internal state border closures, as well as net outward migration in 2020-2021. Are you having trouble finding employees for your business? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
- A WA company director has received a jail sentence of 26 months following the death of one worker and serious injury of another in a workplace health and safety incident in March 2020. The company has also been hit with significant fines. Do you have all your WHS ducks in a row?
- As workers who were laid off during the pandemic return to work, not all are returning to their previous jobs and sectors, which is likely to lead to a skills shortage across multiple industries but particularly arts and events.
- Pay rates for a Cinema Worker Level 3 under the Broadcasting, Recorded Entertainment and Cinemas Award have been amended from 27 May 2021 – see the updated Pay Guide for more details: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/872/broadcasting-recorded-entertainment-and-cinemas-award-ma000091-pay-guide.pdf.aspx
