The Liberal ticket for Melbourne’s council elections is offering cash to businesses who get their workers back into the office, in a bid to revitalise the city centre.
In a plan officially announced on Monday evening, mayoral candidate Mariam Riza and running mate Luke Martin said they would offer a 5 per cent cashback on council rates to organisations whose staff returned to onsite work five days a week.
“Getting workers back into the city is vital to ensuring our retailers and hospitality businesses are given every chance to survive and thrive,” Ms Riza said.
“This rebate will give businesses a real incentive to get workers back to the office and help get Melbourne city back in business.”
Melbourne’s CBD has the highest office vacancy rate in the nation, new data recently revealed.
The Liberals also said they would “lead by example” and get all council workers back into Town Hall five days a week within a year of being elected.
The rates cashback would return as much as $9m to the pockets of city traders.
The Liberals are not the only candidates for city council to make getting workers back into the CBD a priority.
Independent candidate Arron Wood has also pledged to mandate Town Hall staff being in the office – albeit for four days a week rather than the Liberals’ proposed five.
Currently, City of Melbourne employees are expected to work from the office at least three days a week.
Fellow mayoral aspirant Carlton great Anthony Koutoufides has promised to shout city workers a free Monday morning coffee for at least a month in a bid to lure them back.
The Liberals’ cashback incentive would be available to businesses of all sizes, and would largely rely on “selfreporting”, Mr Martin said.
As a business owner, the candidate for deputy lord mayor said he was aware of the challenging climate for small firms and sole traders.
“This shouldn’t just be a policy for big business,” Mr Martin said. “It should be a reward for the small businesses who, let’s face it, they’ve really been smashed around by Covid and the high costs of doing business.
“You’ve got to be pretty gutsy to be a small-business owner and we really want to make sure we’re there to help them out.”
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