Jim’s Mowing founder Jim Penman writes furious open letter to Victorian government

Jim’s Mowing was adamant employees could operate in the latest Victorian lockdown but one comment changed that, sparking a furious reaction.

Jim’s Mowing founder Jim Penman has written another blistering open letter to the Victorian government blasting a decision to plunge the state into its fourth major lockdown in 12 months.

The mowing magnate penned the fiery letter moments after Acting Premier James Merlino and chief health officer Brett Sutton gave conflicting advice about whether garden maintenance workers could operate during the seven day lockdown.

When questioned about it at Friday morning’s press conference Mr Merlino said: “If the facility or the home is owner occupied and or the site is owner occupied, then they should not be going ahead”.

But professor Sutton said “I will come back on that specific question” when he was asked if a Jim’s Mowing type businesses could operate.

Acting Premier James Merlino says garden maintenance workers should not work in the seven day lockdown if the worksite is owner occupied. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

Jim’s Mowing employees and franchisees were ordered to stop work in early August last year after lawn mowing and garden maintenance was among the list of industries forced to grind to a halt under public health orders.

Mr Penman was furious about the move, prompting him to pen multiple open letters to Premier Daniel Andrews.

In his latest letter he said the “continued mismanagement” was causing “terrible harm”.

“I know personally of two franchisees who had suicide attempts in their families in the last lockdown,” Mr Penman wrote.

“Two others have lost their homes and their marriages. There will be thousands of other such stories, not to speak of the financial ruin imposed.”

Jim Penman blasted the Victorian government in an open letter.

The state government’s list of authorised workers published on Thursday did not include garden maintenance workers.

But it did state maintenance was an approved operation providing it was maintenance on “essential infrastructure and essential services required to maintain or protect human health, safety and wellbeing”.

Mr Penman said he believed this advice applied to his 615 Victorian franchisees and was adamant they could continue to operate during the latest lockdown.

“The original guidelines on lockdown from your Department of Health and Human Services exempted sole workers on sites, such as gardening contractors, recognising that they posed no danger to themselves or others,” Mr Penman wrote.

“But then last year you personally intervened to trash your own department’s advice and threw tens of thousands of Victorians out of work.

“Your arbitrary interference destroyed businesses and lives.”

Jim’s Mowing founder Jim Penman has written another blistering open letter to the Victorian government. Picture: Jason Edwards

It comes just days before Jim Penman is set to try a test claim against the Victorian government for compensation over lockdown in a legal move he says could “open the floodgates” for hundreds of other business owners.

Mr Penman has provided legal backing for his franchisee Steve Thompson to file a compensation claim against the Department of Health and Human Services in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) after he lost more than $24,000 during the lockdown last year.

The Department of Health clarified emergency repairs and maintenance - including emergency lawn mowing - was permitted, but workers needed to wear masks and have no contact with the home owner.

Otherwise any maintenance, construction or renovations at sites where there is a property owner would not be allowed under the current health guidelines.

[e-mail]