Diversity and Ingenuity Key to Stonnington Recovery

Jacqui Weatherill
CEO, City of Stonnington 

Like all municipalities, businesses in Stonnington have been hit hard by the pandemic. It is hard to watch so many entrepreneurial people lose their livelihoods and many young people in particular lose their jobs.

Stonnington is an incredibly diverse, historically and culturally rich community, from the world-famous bohemia chic of Chapel Street to the elegant elm-shaded streets of Toorak. 

We have some of the State’s leading performing arts, entertainment and fine art venues, and an incredible range of food and beverage from every part of the world and for every budget.

But the pandemic has not discriminated. Business, big and small, profit and non-profit – has been hit hard.

While many of our more resilient entrepreneurs will bounce back over time, many businesses will never return as they were.

Many will simply shut their doors, while others are making changes to their offerings, for example deliveries of food to the home is one small bright spot. 

A local gin manufacturer, for example, has turned their business into a handwash factory.

It is this type of ingenuity that gives us hope that a recovery is possible.

Clearly there are parts of the economy who have done well in this period, such as home office supplies, bottle shops and take-away food. However they are very much the exception to the rule. 

The City of Stonnington is supporting business through this crisis in a number of ways. 
Our support program includes:
• Refunding $1m of three different fees – Food Permits, Health Permits and Footpath Trading Permits 
• Additional investment in marketing and promotion of our precincts 
• Rental relief for food businesses at Council-owned premises and facilities
• Adopting seven day payment terms for suppliers for the duration of the State of Emergency period
• Significantly reducing parking enforcement 
• No parking fees at selected Council carparks until 30 September 2020
• A business hotline to direct businesses to support services at the local, state and federal level and a dedicated web platform to bring related information together
• Strengthening the Stonnington business concierge service

We have also launched a business hotline to support local businesses navigate the many economic stimulus packages available.

And given the fact that no-one knows business like a small business person, we have established an Economic Recovery Committee,  a “kitchen cabinet” to ensure our recovery and stimulus plans are targeted, measured and effective.

I am confident that, with this partnership approach, and by tapping into the community spirit that saw Victoria lead the way in reducing the rate of infection, Stonnington will recover stronger and more resilient.

Yes, things will be very different, from our workplaces to our health protocols to our very municipal priorities.

But with change comes opportunity to do things better, more efficiently, more effectively.

That, I believe, will be the true legacy of COVID-19.