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The profession is eager to embrace a widescale reopening, even as case numbers rise. But sentiment shows that many aren’t familiar with Australia’s COVID-19 response plan.
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Accountants eager for reopening, even as cases rise
08 September 2021
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10 minute read
Of the 73 per cent in favour of reopening, 39 per cent said they’d be in favour of reopening regardless of case numbers, while 34 per cent were more cautious and said they’d only want to do so if COVID-19 case numbers were low.
Those whose responses erred on the side of caution revealed that they mightn’t be familiar with Australia’s national COVID-19 response plan.
Australia’s national COVID-19 response plan suggests that once the rate of double-vaccinated adults reaches 70 per cent, strict lockdowns will rarely occur, and the government will primarily rely on high vaccination rates to suppress the virus, despite case numbers.
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Once the rate of fully vaccinated Australian adults reaches 80 per cent, the government is expected to do away with lockdowns altogether, and reopen international borders.
CPA Australia general manager of external affairs, Jane Rennie, said the response prompted the peak body to publish a resource of its own to better familiarise the profession with the government’s plan of attack.
“An earlier LinkedIn poll we ran revealed that many people aren’t familiar with the national COVID-19 response plan,” Dr Rennie said. “Off the back of this, we published a quick guide to the national plan on our website for our members and the public.”
She said the poll, to some degree, indicates that Australia may be willing to live with COVID-19.
“To me, the results suggest that a lot of Australians are ready to live with COVID-19 once the national vaccination targets are reached,” Dr Rennie said. “That said, there’s also a lot of hesitancy about reopening in the near future,” she said.
She said the poll likely triggered the response it did because the question of reopening carries tremendous weight for much of the profession and their clients.
“I think this poll generated such a strong response because the question of re-opening borders and the impacts on the economy is one that’s pre-occupying many Australians and certainly every small business owner,” she said.
“Uncertainty surrounding lockdowns is the leading cause of pain for businesses. Whichever way people voted in this poll, I think everyone just wants a clear way forward.”
The profession’s yearning for the reopening of state borders is largely in step with the broader business community.
Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott last week doubled down on government vaccination messaging, calling for the expedited reopening of the Australian economy.
“The economy is resilient but the longer hard border closures and prolonged lockdowns remain, the less resilient and less competitive we become,” Ms Westtacott said.
“The enviable position we were in during the June quarter is rapidly slipping away from us. The national reopening plan is vital to recovery.
“The national reopening plan, informed by Doherty Institute modelling, strikes the right balance between keeping people safe and the risks of the country remaining divided and shut off from the rest of the world.”
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