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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Miriam Webber

More people returning to offices but health concerns linger

In-depth COVID

Canberra's office occupancy rates crept up in August, rising for the third month in a row.

The Property Council's latest survey showed a 3 per cent increase to 64 per cent between August 25 and 31.

Acting ACT executive director Adele Lausberg said the small change showed "a resilient office market during a harsh winter".

The last peak in occupancy rates was 73 per cent in July 2021, before the territory's lockdown.

Since January, the numbers have been climbing, with the exception of April and June, which saw dips.

Ms Lausberg said it was encouraging to see people returning to workplaces, though occupancy levels remain below the last peak of 73 per cent in July 2021.

"While the results are still a way off the previous recovery high points seen around May 2021, they show the resilience of the Canberra CBD office, with occupancy levels remaining stable throughout a difficult period," she said in a statement.

The survey also found that health concerns continue to be a major reason for people staying away from the office, though there was a drop in how influential this was: from 30 to 15 per cent.

Public transport concerns also fell from 13 to 12 per cent.

"People are the lifeblood of CBDs, and we don't yet have enough of them back in our city centres to support our ecosystems of small businesses that call our CBDs home," Ms Lausberg said.

"With spring approaching and the Omicron wave having peaked, the recovery momentum towards a new normal should resume."

Canberra's office occupancy rates increased to 64 per cent in August. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

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