By Alesha Capone
Wyndham council is set to launch a ‘Buy local’ campaign in order to help save jobs and minimise the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on businesses.
The campaign comes as dozens of events have been cancelled or postponed and panic buying has left supermarket shelves empty.
On Monday, the state government announced a state of emergency to try to slow the spread of infection.
Wyndham schools have closed, including Westbourne Grammar, while Aquapulse, Eagle Stadium and Werribee Outdoor Pool have been closed.
Wyndham City’s Manager of the Climate Futures Office – which oversees economic growth – Peter McKinnon said a significant part of the council’s role through the pandemic was to build community resilience.
“We need to band together to protect our local economy through this,” Mr McKinnon said.
“While the Federal Government has committed to a range of stimulus initiatives – including cash bonuses for low income earners, wage and salary packages for small and medium sized businesses, and assistance in funding the wages of apprenticeships – there is still more that we can do on the ground as a community.”
“We already know the global pandemic will have negative economic impacts and its important as a City we band together to do all that we can to minimise the impacts to the best of our ability.
“Wyndham City will work with key business industry groups such as the Committee for Wyndham and other industry representative groups to launch a ‘Buy Local’ campaign.
“This campaign will have both a consumer to business and business to business focus, and we’ll explore and develop digital ways to enhance this offering.”
“Further to this, we will enhance its industry engagement program to inform local businesses about recent Federal and State government funding packages and for us to better understand the short and long term impacts felt on local businesses.”
Concerns about COVID-19 have prompted Wyndham council to cancel or postpone all of the events and activities it had planned up until the end of April .
The council made the announcement on Friday, issuing a statement which said: “While it is a very difficult decision to make, the health and safety of our community and staff must take precedence.
“This decision is consistent with actions taken at a state level to cancel large gatherings or run events without spectators.”
The statement said that refunds, and credits (where applicable) would be offered for ticketed events.
Last Thursday, parents of students at Westbourne Grammar School in Truganina received an email saying that a pupil had been tested for COVID-19.
Channel 7 reported that the email, from principal Meg Hansen, said: “A senior school student is currently being tested for the virus and we are awaiting the results.
“Given that the health and safety of all in our community is our highest priority, as a precautionary measure, we have taken the decision to close the school on Friday 13 March and Monday 16 March 2020.”
In a post on the Werribee Secondary College Facebook page, principal Amanda Mullins wrote on Monday that all of the school’s excursions and school events have been cancelled.
In addition, the college suspended VET programs for the next fortnight.
If you suspect that you or a family member has COVID-19 you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national COVID-19 Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
For information visit The Department of Health and Human Services website, www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
