Coronavirus has impacted an estimated 1350 people in the Dubbo region in a mix of job loss, role alteration or business model change, in "a week of hard hits", a Dubbo Regional Council officer reports.
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Economic development and marketing manager Josie Howard said the industries directly affected by restrictions to stop the spread of the pandemic were "significant employers in our region".
Impacted employees made up about 6 per cent of the full-time equivalent workforce, and the figure did not include retail, "the second-highest employer in our region", she said.
Ms Howard provided the data at an update convened by Dubbo Regional Council about the response to COVID-19 on Friday.
"This has been a week of hard hits for many industries in our region," she said.
"I've been asked to give a snapshot of local economics this afternoon and I don't do so lightly.
"I'm conscious the numbers I'll speak about are real people in our community and my staff have been on the phone to many businesses, employers, human resource managers and general community members that are suffering from the economic impact of this global pandemic."
The council had been working proactively with many businesses about their workforce and supply chain challenges, Ms Howard said.
Staff had been connecting problems together to try to create local linkages that could support the overall economy and regional sustainability, she said.
Ms Howard reported of the "many personal connections between workplaces and industries across the region".
Businesses that had had to let staff go were eager to provide information on new job opportunities, some of which were being facilitated from council staff and sent via the businesses' HR departments, she said.
Businesses are being innovative "and that shows again who we are", Ms Howard says.
"As a region, we are progressive and innovative and these challenges are bringing that to the forefront," she said.
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