David Malone leads industry leaders in asking for certainty on potential future Darwin lockdowns

An industry leader is heading the chorus of demands for more certainty and communication about potential future lockdowns.

MASTER Builders NT chief executive David Malone is leading a chorus of industry leaders in calling for more certainty and communication if or when the Territory is thrown into future lockdowns.

As vaccination rates across Australia and in the Territory continue to climb, Mr Malone has called for a refocus away from lockdowns.

“There’s a focus on vaccination rates and lockdowns at the moment. We understand that,” he said.

“The thing for business is that they have to be thinking short, medium and long-term on what that means because we all generally agree that outbreaks will continue to happen.

“We need to have in place a plan on doing business in a Covid world and in doing that we need to be thinking about beyond today, business needs to know what comes next.

“At the moment everything is about shutting down but as more people become vaccinated we must come to grips with keeping the economy open.”

But he believes that better communication of key details between government and industry around lockdowns could alleviate issues.

In what he has dubbed the ‘Doing Business in a Covid World’ plan, he has requested upfront accessible information.

“Information should land on someone’s phone as soon as possible rather than through an organised media press conference,” Mr Malone said.

“It’s what we do for cyclones and fires so there’s no reason we can’t have that information for lockdowns.

“There’s 16 different industry sectors and we should have a plan for each one with immediate guidance on who can remain open or closed.

“We operate across all four quarters of the Territory so we need to know how we can continue to operate remotely if Darwin were to shut down.

“We’re not asking for much except how to do business in a Covid world.”

David Malone from Master Builders NT has asked for a plan for industry when it comes to Covid lockdown. Picture: Che Chorley

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce fully supported the message.

“We support what Dave and the Master Builders are suggesting. The most recent lockdown being similar to the first was easier for the public and businesses to understand,” Mr Bruce said.

“We don’t want another lockdown but let’s get together and make a plan that outlines what will happen in case one does.

“It’s like cyclones, we don’t know when they will happen but we know what to do when they do and there’s no reason we shouldn’t have a clear plan for lockdowns.”

Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive Greg Ireland called a need for certainty essential for industry in a lockdown scenario.

“It’s essential. We’ve been having this conversation with government for a while about the different stages of lockdown,” he said.

“We all recognise the value of short, sharp lockdowns but industry needs to have clarity on essential workers, a timetable and knowing what needs to be done during lockdown.

“We need to know and have an organised plan.

“When it’s done on an ad-hoc basis it makes it difficult for industry to operate and causes unneeded stress.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said to expect a targeted approach once vaccine rates hit 80 per cent.

“Territorians can expect us to take a targeted and risk specific approach to COVID outbreaks now and once we reach 80 per cent full vaccination. Everything we are doing and will do is in line with the National Plan,” he said.