The Andrews government has successfully extended its emergency powers for another nine months marking a “resumption of autocratic power,” according to Small Business Australia Executive Director Bill Lang.

The state of emergency powers gives the Victorian government the ability to lockdown the state in response to the coronavirus, and provides the legal tool to impose restrictions such as curfews and stay-at-home orders.

The bill passed the Victorian upper house on Tuesday after the government successfully negotiated with the crossbench including the Greens, the Reason Party, and the Animal Justice Party.

Mr Lang told Sky News as a result of the crossbenchers siding with the “current autocrat,” business and consumer confidence will plummet.

“This appears to be a continuous stream of making things up as they go along; the exercise of raw power,” he said.

“We are a very sick state and it’s not about the virus.

“Melbourne in particular, once the world’s most livable city, now the world’s most locked down city and most unlivable city.”