One of the south-west's biggest employers Midfield Meat is sweating on Premier Daniel Andrews' Sunday announcement where he is likely to ease restrictions on abattoirs.
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Mr Andrews on Friday said the government was "looking closely" at easing restrictions on high-risk industries that aimed to curb the spread of coronavirus and it's expected he will announce more on Sunday.
"We had a discussion yesterday (Thursday) about a number of high-risk industries, those matters are still being very closely looked at and I think they will be a feature," he said.
"I want to get those high-risk workplaces to the highest level of activity but still keep them safe as possible, that's the balance that has to be struck and I think we'll get there."
The roadmap to recovery states regional Victorian meat processing operations will be restricted until COVID normal which is expected around November if there are no new cases for 28 days, no active cases across the state and no outbreaks of concern in other states and territories.
Mr Andrews said he expected to provide more information on what October would look like because virus case numbers were declining.
He said "many things" might happen earlier "than we had thought". But he said the case numbers and data would determine changes.
"The roadmap never envisaged really significant steps at the 28th but we're on track and the strategy is working," he said.
"Sunday will not be a day where we're throwing the doors open and everyone gets to go back to COVID normal.
"We are ahead of schedule, the numbers are not low enough yet, but we're heading that way."
Midfield was forced to cut its operations by a third, impacting 340 jobs, from August 6 when the restrictions were introduced as stage three lockdowns came into force across regional Victoria.
The measure - that was placed on all of the state's abattoirs - was described as "disastrous".
Midfield's entire workforce was screened for coronavirus in July to ensure all workers were COVID-19 free in a bid to remain open at normal levels. Midfield has been operating four days a week.
Earlier this week, Midfield general manager Dean McKenna played a straight bat when asked if he wanted the government to fast-track the easing of restrictions.
"The restrictions the government have put in place are hurting a lot of businesses but Midfield is not complaining," he said.
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