VICTORIA TO TAKE FIRST BIG STEP TO TACKLE INSECURE WORK

This year, the global pandemic has shone a bright light on some of the darkest cracks in our nation’s economy and our society – none more so than insecure work.

Too often, workers are being forced to choose between a day’s pay and their health – and the health of every Victorian. Over the past eight months, we’ve seen just how dangerous, and unfair, that can be.

That’s why the Andrews Labor Government will do what no other government has – develop a new Secure Work Pilot Scheme, providing up to five days of sick and carer’s pay at the national minimum wage for casual or insecure workers in priority industries.

Casual and insecure workers in eligible sectors will be invited to pre-register for the scheme, providing their contact details and information about their employment so that applications can be fast-tracked if they need to apply for payments.

Once up and running, the two-year pilot will afford these workers sick pay when they’re unwell, and carer’s pay when they need to take time to look after someone they love.

Importantly, it will mean Victorians aren’t being forced to choose between the safety of their co-workers – and putting food on the table for their family.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 will provide $5 million for consultation on the design of the pilot scheme to work through issues including documentation required to support payment applications and protections for workers who apply to access the scheme.

And that consultation will begin right away, continuing into 2021.

LEVEL CROSSING REMOVAL PROJECTS UPDATE

Major construction is continuing in the Werribee electorate to remove the level crossings at Cherry Street and Werribee Street, Werribee, as well as Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing.

The Werribee Street level crossing will be gone for good months ahead of schedule, with traffic set to flow freely and freight trains travelling over the new rail bridge by the end of summer.

Recent strong progress on the project means the crossing will be removed well ahead of the original 2022 target, and will be the 45th level crossing removed by the Andrews Labor Government. 

Construction is progressing at the Cherry Street level crossing, and works to signalise the intersection at Wattle Avenue and Princes Highway will continue until late 2020. 

The Cherry Street Level Crossing Removal Project team have installed a new pop-up info hub, in the passenger shelter at Werribee Station. This interactive hub is a great way to find out more about the design of the Cherry Street level crossing removal project, and it'll be there until the project completion in 2022.

After a temporary halt on construction due to COVID-19 restrictions, works have now resumed at the Old Geelong Road level crossing.

Throughout December and January, the LXRP team will work along Heaths Road, Old Geelong Road, Princes Highway and Princes Freeway, as well as in the rail corridor and at Hoppers Crossing Station.

To keep up-to-date on Level Crossing Removal Projects, visit levelcrossings.vic.gov.au.

You can sign up for local updates at levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/contact/subscribe. 

CAR PARK FOR COMMUTERS PROGRAM

A new website has been launched that provides details of projects being delivered through the Car Parks for Commuters program – the website can be accessed at carparks.vic.gov.au.
 
The Andrews Labor Government’s Car Parks for Commuters program is delivering thousands of new and upgraded car parks at train stations to make it easier to catch the train.
 
Over 11,000 new and upgraded car parks at stations are being built across metropolitan and regional Victoria. This will free up local streets, make it easier to catch the train, improve safety and generate jobs across the state.
 
This is on top of nearly 10,000 new and upgraded station car parks delivered during the Government’s previous term.
 
We are also delivering amenity and accessibility improvements including CCTV and lighting as well as more bicycle parking facilities at key locations, making it easier to ride or walk to catch the train.
 
The Victorian Budget 2020-21 includes an additional $231 million to continue with the delivery of the Car Park for Commuters program which is on top of the $150 million in the Victorian Budget 2019-20, and the $67 million from the Victorian Budget 2018-19.
 
We’re also supporting the Federal Government’s commitment to deliver a range of separate projects to boost commuter car parking in Victoria.
 
Commuter car parks are important infrastructure for local communities and fundamental to our transport network.
 
These projects take time to plan, design and deliver. No two locations are the same and each site has different opportunities and constraints that need to be understood through detailed planning.
 
But we’re getting on with the job and different locations are at various stages of development, procurement and delivery. Construction and development work on several sites has started, with site assessments, environmental studies and safety investigations under way.

Here in the Werribee electorate, Car Parks for Commuters team have commenced planning works at Wyndham Vale Station car park. Additionally, the Government will be delivering new and upgraded car parking spaces at Werribee Station through the program - following the removal of the Cherry Street level crossing. The new car park will feature improved CCTV and lighting as well as more bicycle parking facilities.
 
For further information about the Car Parks program, visit carparks.vic.gov.au.

SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS

Victorian schools will receive a funding boost to deliver small but important upgrades thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s $70 million Minor Capital Works Fund. 

Two schools in Werribee have been allocated thousands of dollars as part of the fund to fast-track a priority project, supporting local jobs through Victoria’s economic recovery.

$66,120 will go to Thomas Chirnside Primary School in Werribee as part of the Andrews Government’s Minor Capital Works Fund for the upgrade of their senior playground. 

Wyndham Park Primary School will be the recipient of $262,165 for the upgrade of playground equipment through this Andrews Government fund.

We've recently invested more than $3 billion in school upgrades through the Victorian Budget 2020/21.

While much of this funding went towards new schools and major upgrades to existing schools, this fund is delivering smaller projects that also make a big difference to local schools. Projects will commence from early 2021.  

Victoria’s school building boom is the biggest in the country. More importantly, it’ll mean our kids have the classrooms – and the bright futures – they deserve. 

MORE SUPPORT FOR WERRIBEE KIDS THIS TERM

Early childhood services in Werribee will get a funding boost to support children participate in kinder during Term 4 and get ready for school.

32 kinders in Werribee are part of the more than 1700 state-wide that will share in more than $3.7 million for early childhood services in Term 4.

These grants will provide services with access to additional funding to invest in resources to support children’s learning and development and transition to school.

This support will mean all children in Wyndham will be able to make a smooth transition to school after what has been a challenging year.

2021 SCHOOL READINESS FUNDING

Every Victorian child attending a funded kindergarten program in Werribee will get the most out of their learning and development with the final stage of the $160 million Australian-first School Readiness Funding rolling out.

32 early childhood services offering funded kinder in 2021 in the Werribee District will share in $893,364.46 of early childhood School Readiness Funding.

The total funding allocated to each service is dependent on the number of children enrolled who face educational disadvantage.

This is the first time the funding will be made available to all funded kindergartens in Victoria, with the program now a permanent feature of Victoria’s early childhood education system.

About 1,700 kindergartens in 47 local government areas will automatically receive this funding for the first time in 2021. Services delivering funded kindergarten programs for three-year-old children in 2021 will also receive this funding.

School readiness funding will allow Victorian kindergarten providers to tap into the expertise of speech and occupational therapists, language and literacy professionals and child psychologists, who can then boost the capability of both parents and teachers.

Victoria’s success as the Education State starts in the early years – so that’s why the Victorian Government has also invested $5 billion over a decade to deliver 15 hours of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten to all children.

FREE KINDER AND MORE OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE

The Andrews Labor Government will deliver free kinder for 2021 and support more outside school hours care – saving parents thousands of dollars and helping more women back into work.
 
Under the Victorian Budget 2020/2021, the Government will deliver up to $169.6 million to make kinder free next year, saving families around $2,000 for every child enrolled in a participating funded kinder program.
 
This investment will not only make sure more kids can access a great early childhood education, it will make it easier for parents – particularly women – to return to the workforce as we recover from the pandemic.
 
Families with children enrolled in kinder programs at a long day care centre will also benefit from a saving of around $2000 in fees. And for those families that have kids attending unfunded three-year-old programs in sessional kindergartens, there will also be reduced fees.
 
This investment builds on the Labor Government’s commitment to deliver kinder for every three-year-old, reaching every part of the State by 2022. 
 
To further help parents return to work or increase their hours, the Government will invest $81.6 million to increase the availability of before and after school care.
 
Grants of up to $75,000 will be made available to start new outside school hours care programs at up to 400 government schools – so that any school that currently doesn’t have a program can apply to receive a grant.
 
This investment will mean more families can rely on before and after school care – giving parents greater flexibility when it comes to work, study, training or re-entering the workforce.

SINGLE INTEGRATED SENIOR CERTIFICATE AND JOBS COORDINATOR FOR EVERY GOVERNMENT SCHOOL

The Andrews Labor Government will overhaul Victoria’s school-based vocational education with a new integrated end-of-school certificate – ensuring wherever they go to school, every student will be able to do both academic and vocational subjects.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 invests $38 million to develop a new single VCE integrated senior secondary certificate – meaning students no longer have to choose between doing VCE or VCAL – and fund new Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordinators in government secondary schools. 

The move to an integrated certificate follows a review by former Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority CEO John Firth that found the change would provide all Victorian students with the best opportunity to develop both academic and practical vocational skills. 

The investment will also create a new Foundation Pathways Certificate to support students in all settings to successfully transition after finishing school, particularly students with a disability and additional needs.  

The integrated certificate will be implemented progressively from 2023 and will be fully implemented by 2025.

The Firth review  also found more needed to be done to ensure young people had access to training that engages young people, delivers in-demand skills and leads to quality jobs. The Labor Government has accepted all recommendations of the review in-principle.

The Coordinators will provide advice and support for students choosing vocational and applied learning programs, in addition to working with training providers and employers to ensure that students get the most out of their learning and training. 

This initiative will also reduce the administration burden on schools, so they can get on with the job of delivering high-quality teaching and supporting students in their vocational learning.

VICTORIA'S BIG HOUSING BUILD

The Victorian Budget will deliver the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build to construct more than 12,000 new homes throughout metro and regional Victoria, as well as supporting around 10,000 jobs, per year over the next four years, to supercharge Victoria’s economic recovery through the pandemic and beyond.

This package will boost our state’s social housing supply by 10 per cent in just four years – providing a stable foundation for thousands of Victorians to build their lives. 25 per cent of funding will be allocated to regional Victoria. 

The unprecedented investment will boost Victoria’s economic recovery, generating an estimated $6.7 billion in economic activity and supporting a peak of more than 18,000 jobs – with 10 per cent of the work on major projects to be done by apprentices, cadets and trainees.

A new Government agency, Homes Victoria, has been established to work across government, industry and the social housing sector to deliver this record housing growth and to manage existing public housing.
We’re also delivering the biggest investment in public and community housing in Australia, ever.

The City of Wyndham is a priority area for investment, with procurement starting straight away to build new homes. 

This is Victoria's – and Australia’s – biggest ever investment in public and community housing.

VISIT VICTORIA: EXPERIENCING THE BEST AT HOME 

Regional Victoria has some of the most amazing attractions in the world.

And the Victorian Budget 2020/21 will help more people explore it.

With up to 120,000 vouchers each worth $200 available to entice more people to visit and stay in regional Victoria, there's never been a better time to see more of the state.

This is part of the $465 million Victorian Tourism Recovery Package we unveiled yesterday to help the sector bounce back after a year of bushfires and necessary health restrictions to protect Victoria from coronavirus.

The Budget will also provide more than $149 million to build new visitor accommodation, improve major tourist trails, and drive more people out to taste the world-class produce, food and wine on our doorstop.

BRINGING NEW JOBS AND VISITORS TO THE CREATIVE CAPITAL 

The biggest cultural infrastructure project in Australia will transform Melbourne’s creative precinct – attracting visitors, creating jobs and establishing vibrant new gardens and creative space in the heart of our city.

The grounds of the NGV will be opened up to the public as part of the $1.4 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project Stage 1 – fully funded in the 2020/21 Victorian Budget.

A landmark new Gallery – NGV Contemporary – will be built behind the existing NGV on Southbank Boulevard, amidst a new 18,000 square-metre public garden in the heart of Melbourne Arts Precinct. 

Melbourne architects HASSELL and New York practice SO-IL won the tender to design the new public garden and this work is well underway. 

The garden will be vibrant, immersive and ever-changing, not only with the seasons but week-by-week as new plants bloom and cycle. While the design is not yet complete, the artist impressions released today provide a good sense of what visitors can expect from this unique new public space. 

The public gardens will include a collection of spaces for performances, gathering, installations and festivals as well as providing a new green lung for Southbank – one of Australia’s most densely populated suburbs.

Introducing a new open public space of this size into the inner city will involve decking over Sturt Street between City Road and Southbank Boulevard.

The project also includes support for Arts Centre Melbourne to undertake upgrades at the Theatres Building, and will create more than 5,000 local construction sector jobs and help drive Victoria’s economic recovery. 

Later phases of the Melbourne Arts Precinct project include a new Centre for Creativity. The Centre will be run by Arts Centre Melbourne with spaces and facilities for Victoria’s small to medium and independent arts sector, a new performing arts gallery and an expanded Australian Music Vault.

PUTTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF VICTORIANS FIRST 

As we recover from this pandemic in the Werribee electorate, we can’t lose sight of what matters most – the health and wellbeing of our families, friends and communities.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 includes $868.6 million to ensure Victorians have the mental health support they need as we get on with fixing a broken system.

This important investment will undoubtedly impact all Victorians, here in Werribee and beyond.

You can read more about this important investment at premier.vic.gov.au/putting-mental-health-victorians-first.

BUILDING OUR RECOVERY WORKFORCE TO SUPPORT OUR STATE 

This has been the most challenging experience many of us will have ever lived through. We’ve had to stay home and spend time away from those we love the most in order to stay safe.

But supporting us the whole way through – our mental health professionals, family violence specialists and child support workers – professionals that were there for us every day, wherever and whenever we needed them.

The Andrews Labor Government will invest $235 million to build our Recovery Workforce to create 500 new jobs across mental health, family violence, health and child protection. We will also generate new accelerated training pathways and internships for around 875 people, growing the pipeline of workers so Victorians have access to the support they need as we recover from this pandemic.

In mental health this includes additional positions for child and youth psychiatry registrars, and funding for new part-time positions and cadetships for people with a lived experience of mental health – providing opportunity for these Victorians to use their experience and expertise to support those in need. This was also an interim recommendation made in the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Government is also increasing the number of available mental health nurse graduate positions across Victoria with $4.3 million so we have more workers on the ground caring for Victorians.

Recognising the incredible skill, ability and knowledge of our carers, the Labor Government will provide $4.6 million to support pathways into employment in the community services, disability and aged care sector.

Victorians on a waiting list to access residential AOD services or who disengaged from treatment during the pandemic will receive more support with $25.62 million to employ new specialist alcohol and other drug workers.

As the Labor Government continues to lead the way with family violence reform, the package includes $8.1 million to build our family violence and sexual assault support workforce, supporting the coordination of up to 240 traineeships across the state.

To ensure Aboriginal communities have access to the services they need to recover from the pandemic, $40 million will support a service delivery fund for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisations to boost services that will provide targeted support.

The package also includes $3.7 million for a new child protection student employment program, which will give students on the job experience, providing a future pathway to employment and financial support while they finish their studies.

In addition to this, the Budget will deliver $106.7 million over four years to recruit 239 new child protection practitioners, which will include graduates and experienced professionals who will be placed around Victoria to protect our young people.

VICTORIAN PLEDGE FOR INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE

The Andrews Labor Government will establish an Australian Institute for Infectious Disease in the heart of Melbourne’s renowned Parkville biomedical precinct to lead the fight against future pandemics.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 includes an investment of $155 million towards the $550 million institute, with the University of Melbourne and its partners contributing a further $150 million and the remaining funds to be sought from the Commonwealth Government.

Our contribution includes an immediate allocation of $5 million to complete a business case for the facility, which will combine the strengths of some of the world’s leading research institutes. The business case is due for completion in mid-2021 and construction of the Institute would create 350 jobs.

Once operational, the Institute will provide a massive boost to the biomedical sector and could support up to 5,000 jobs, including up to 850 jobs at the Institute itself. 

BETTER AT HOME - $120 MILLION TO DELIVER HOSPITAL SERVICES AT HOME 

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 will spend $120.9 million over three years on the new Better At Home program to meet growing demand for healthcare through increased delivery of hospital services in patients’ homes.

Better at Home will give more patients the opportunity to recover from illness or surgery at home in the comfort and familiarity of family and friends. 

This investment will include:

• $102.6 million to provide a range of different types of care at home, including clinic appointments, chemotherapy, post-surgical care and rehabilitation – making a real difference to people’s lives. 
• $12.5 million for virtual care technology to sustain the high rates of tele-health we have achieved during the pandemic, and support the development of innovative new models of 21st century care.
• A further $5.8 million will help health services to engage the clinical workforce in this transformation of care in Victoria, through training, support, and clinical redesign which will provide more options to receive care at home.

Through Better at Home, up to 50,000 chemotherapy appointments could be delivered in living rooms across Victoria, or 50,000 days Victorians previously spent in hospital recovering or undertaking rehabilitation can be done from the comfort of home – freeing up around 160 hospital beds.

THE VICTORIAN BIG BATTERY

The Victorian Government recently announced that it will be bringing online a 300-megawatt Big Battery to be built in Moorabool, near Geelong. 

The battery will help secure the State’s energy supply, reduce wholesale energy prices and support the deployment of renewable energy while creating over 85 jobs. 

The battery is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest in the world – delivering more than $2 of benefit for every $1 invested by Victorians.  

HELPING VICTORIANS PAY THEIR POWER BILLS

Spending more time at home this year has meant bigger power bills for many.

That's why the Andrews Labor Government is investing $797 million — helping Victorians cover the cost of their power bills and make homes more energy efficient.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 will deliver the biggest household energy efficiency package in any state’s history, creating thousands of jobs, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Read more at premier.vic.gov.au/helping-victorians-pay-their-power-bills.

ZERO-EMISSIONS BUSES 

The Andrews Labor Government is delivering clean, sustainable public transport to keep Victorians moving, with a trial of zero-emission buses to start in the coming months.

The Victorian Budget 2020/21 will invest $20 million in a statewide trial to investigate solutions to achieve a zero-emission bus fleet and create a pipeline of local job opportunities.

The Zero Emissions Bus Trial will run over three years, trialling different technologies on buses right across the state – with an expression of interest for companies to begin soon.

The trial will support the Victorian economy with a boost to the transport equipment manufacturing and electricity supply sectors, driving the local development of skills and innovation and contributing to regional economies where some existing manufacturers are already established.

SOLAR BATTERY REBATE

Recently, 1,000 new household solar battery rebates were released to Victorians, as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s record breaking household energy efficiency investment package. $191 million will be provided from the Victorian Budget 2020/21 to expand the Solar Homes program right across Victoria.

The package will provide a total of 17,500 solar battery rebates over the next three years, with no postcode eligibility restrictions in place. This is in response to surging demand for solar battery technology, which allows Victorians to safely and efficiently store solar power, driving down energy bills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Labor Government will also deliver an additional 42,000 solar PV panel rebates over the next two years, bringing the total to 140,000. Already over 100,000 Victorian households have installed solar panels as part of the Solar Homes program, and this investment will allow thousands more to save on their energy bills while supporting jobs and economic activity in the industry.

Small businesses are also being encouraged to get on board, with 15,000 extra solar rebates being made available to them. 

This expansion is all part of the Labor Government’s $797 million household energy efficiency package, benefitting over 1.6 million households across the state.

DELIVERING CHEAP AND RELIABLE ENERGY IN VICTORIA

The Commonwealth Government and Victorian Government are announcing the first stage of a two-part agreement, with the first part supporting a key transmission project called KerangLink that will deliver more affordable and reliable electricity for Victorians.
 
KerangLink will be a renewable energy superhighway that will unlock more wind and solar power in Victoria than ever before, and is crucial action to address climate change. This project will bring $3.9 billion in economic activity to Victoria, and create 870 jobs in construction.

FAST-TRACKING PROFESSIONALS INTO TEACHING CAREERS

The Andrews Labor Government recently announced a $15.49 million initiative to give 500 aspiring school teachers and 76 early childhood teachers the opportunity to boost their skills through accelerated Initial Teacher Education university programs.

The initiative will help schools employ local teachers to work in hard-to-staff roles in outer-metropolitan, rural and regional locations, in areas such as STEM, languages, applied learning and specialist education. It will also help early childhood educators become teachers as part of the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten.
 
Aspiring school teachers with a bachelor’s degree will be able to complete their Masters of Teaching in 18-24 months through either an employment-based model – combining paid on-the-job training at a local school with studying – or through a hybrid model that combines intensive study with practical classroom experience.
 
Diploma-qualified early childhood educators will also be able to trim the three-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Education down to 18 months. The first graduates from this initiative will be ready to work as qualified teachers in local government secondary, specialist schools and early childhood services in 2022.
 
This investment in initial teacher education removes barriers for educators interested in upskilling, but who could not otherwise afford not to do so. Aspiring school teachers can earn more than $47,000 per year while they learn on-the-job. Students completing the hybrid program will be eligible for a $15,000 stipend to support their intensive study in their first year.

The Government will partner with higher education providers to deliver the accelerated Masters of Teaching in 2021, Deakin University will also offer the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education course in 2021.
 
Financial support packages will also be available for participating early childhood educators valued at $30,000 to cover course fees and materials, as well as helping with living expenses while they study.

Students will be supported to continue working part-time as educators while they study, potentially earning around $20,000 per year. In addition, early childhood services will receive direct funding for each student to provide wrap-around support and mentoring to support educators while they train to become teachers.
 
For further information, please visit  vic.gov.au/teachthefuture.

FAIRER PAYMENTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE TO STAY 

The Andrews Labor Government’s commitment to pay all small business supplier invoices within 10 business days – the fastest government payments timeline in Australia – will continue beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
 
Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford has announced reforms to the Labor Government’s Fair Payment Policy, with payment terms for contracts under $3 million to move from the current 30 days.
 
The Government’s standing commitment to pay small business invoices within 10 business days leads all other states.

Elsewhere, businesses are required to be registered or use a specific payment platform to obtain fairer payment terms.
 
The new payment terms will apply to all new contracts under $3 million entered from 1 January 2021, allowing time for departments and agencies to prepare for the changes.  

The Victorian Government continues to play a leading role in promoting fair and timely payment terms for small businesses.

SMALL BUSINESS DIGITAL ADAPTATION PROGRAM

The Victorian Government’s Small Business Digital Adaptation Program has opened for applications today.

The $20 million initiative will help Victorian sole traders, micro and small businesses adapt to a digital operating environment.

We’re excited to have Mr Yum as one of our six participating providers helping sole traders and small businesses build their digital capability through the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program.

Alongside well-known digital product brands including MYOB, Squarespace, Shopify, XERO and Square, the Collingwood based technology company will allow small businesses to trial their service as part of the program.

Businesses must register for the program online via the Business Victoria website. Once registered, businesses can access digital adaptation workshops and trial the digital products on offer – including online website, e-commerce, finance and business management tools.

Once businesses have trialled the products, they will be eligible for a $1200 rebate on a year’s subscription to their preferred service.

For further info and to register for the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program, visit: business.vic.gov.au/sbdap.

BACKING VICTORIAN ABORIGINAL BUSINESSES 

Victorian Aboriginal businesses will get the support they need to recover and thrive with grants of up to $10,000 through the $3 million First Peoples’ COVID-19 Business Support Fund.

These important grants will help support eligible Aboriginal businesses that have experienced temporary closures, trading restrictions or other issues relating to the pandemic that have had a significant impact on operations and income.

Victorian Aboriginal businesses could be eligible for a grant of up to $10,000, with Kinaway Chamber of Commerce to receive $150,000 to provide certification, taxation and other advice, and to promote the Fund to Aboriginal businesses.

Find out more about eligibility and how to apply at business.vic.gov.au/firstpeoplesbusinessfund.

COVIDSAFE DEEP CLEANING REBATE

The Victorian Government’s COVIDSafe Deep Cleaning Rebate will support small and medium-sized businesses where anyone onsite is suspected or confirmed to have coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The rebate will help eligible businesses cover the cost of hiring professional cleaning services to conduct a deep or decontamination clean of their worksite. This will help businesses prevent further transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) at their worksite, and reduce out-of-pocket cleaning expenses.

The rebate will cover up to 80 per cent of a business’ cleaning costs, capped at a grant of $10,000 (for a total cleaning cost of $12,500).

For detailed eligibility criteria and to apply, please visit business.vic.gov.au/support-for-your-business/grants-and-assistance/covid-safe-deep-cleaning-rebate.