Businesses in Victoria will be allowed to welcome half of their staff back to the office from Monday, in a move welcomed in Wodonga - despite it coming much later than many wanted.
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And they will not have to wear masks inside, with the state's mask rules going back from Monday to what they were before New Year's Eve.
This means masks still have to be worn in places like shopping centres and supermarkets where it is hard to social distance, but not in other indoor locations.
Premier Daniel Andrews made the announcement on Thursday that private workplaces can return to 50 per cent capacity, while public service offices can return to 25 per cent capacity.
Business Wodonga chairman Graham Jenkin was happy with the change, but has long been calling for regional areas to be allowed to have workers back in the officer sooner than Melbourne.
"It should give employers and employees a great deal of confidence knowing that the government deems it safe that a large amount of people can now work together in office buildings, and free of masks," he said.
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"It's certainly welcome in the regions because we don't have a lot of those tall buildings where everyone's gathered around the lift to get in every morning.
"We have a lot more space around us.
"The restrictions for Melbourne - where everybody catches public transport to work and mills around in city conditions, buildings and lifts - they're completely different to the reality of country life."
The next thing they want lifted is the border closure.
"There's been a lot of lobbying from various employer organisations and chambers of commerce, particular regional chambers, Mr Jenkin said.
"We've worked together to try and lobby and are not getting very far.
"You've only got to look at the border restrictions to see that we're not being treated as fairly as we should, given the rewards we should be getting for being COVID-free as long as we have been."
Meanwhile Murray MP Helen Dalton has secured for support of fellow border MPs to sign a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling for National Cabinet adopt a uniform national approach to future state border closures and for the federal government to consider ongoing financial support to border businesses affected by the closures.
"While we support sensible restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus, we are concerned about the impact of ad hoc state government border closures on rural communities and businesses," she said in the letter.
"Our offices have been inundated with thousands of constituents confused about rapidly changing state border regulations.
"A consistent, federal government-led national approach to state border management would help ease anxieties and allow communities to plan for future border closures."
Northern Victoria MP Tim Quilty, Mildura MP Ali Cupper and Wagga MP Joe McGirr have expressed support in signing the letter so far.