Coronavirus: CSL, BHP, Westfarmers chiefs call for Victoria’s curfew to be lifted
Country’s largest companies, including CSL, BHP and Wesfarmers, warn continued lockdown will cause irreparable damage.
The chiefs of some of the country’s largest companies, including CSL, BHP and Wesfarmers, have urged the Victorian government to lift the “wartime” curfew on Melbourne, warning that the continued lockdown will cause irreparable damage to the community and economy.
Their comments follow calls from respected scientists — whose research was used as the basis for Daniel Andrews’ road map out of lockdown — for an urgent revision of pandemic modelling and a reconsideration of curfews.
Paul Perreault — chief executive of Australia’s largest biotech company CSL, which is developing coronavirus vaccines — said the curfews in place across Melbourne should be lifted immediately.
“I don’t see (curfew) happening anywhere else in the world,” Mr Perreault said. “No one is using curfews … I don’t see the rationale for it frankly.
“We would ask the Victorian government to immediately remove the curfews … improve the depth and rigour of the modelling and achieve a genuine roadmap and reopening of the economy.”
Melburnians will remain under strict lockdown until late October, with a curfew in place until there is an average of fewer than five new cases daily over a fortnight and fewer than five cases in total with an unknown source.
The curfew was relaxed by one hour on Sunday night.
Mr Perreault said the Victorian Premier should “rethink and relook at this roadmap”.
From what I have seen of it and read of it, it seems to be inconsistent and using data that doesn’t make a lot of logical sense,” he said.
“These thresholds are just not workable for any society. I’m not a scientist by training, I am a pragmatist and when I look at the other road maps around the world … this one is very difficult to swallow. We are calling for balance. We know there will be more debt, more national debt and generations to come will be paying for this.”
Mr Perreault's comments were backed by BHP chairman Ken MacKenzie, who said the shutdown was causing “irreparable damage to livelihoods, communities and the economy”.
“We must act now to preserve hope in the future for all Australians, but especially for our youth,” Mr MacKenzie said.
“To achieve this goal, I support the view that businesses with clear and effective workplace protocols should be allowed to return to work in a staged, sensible manner.
“I also support a re-evaluation of modelling parameters and trigger levels that takes such a risk-based approach into consideration. As the Victorian government continues to work on its recovery roadmap, there is an opportunity to revisit the modelling and adopt a risk-based approach to easing restrictions.”
The Weekend Australian revealed on Saturday that Melbourne University’s dean and head of medicine, Shitij Kapur — part of the team that produced the modelling used for the roadmap — was urging the Premier to rerun the numbers.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday the comments from Professor Kapur and his colleague James McCaw made it clear that their model didn’t dictate specific thresholds or targets. “They were concerned in particular that the five-person accumulative and rolling average numbers and the zero case numbers may be unachievable,” Mr Hunt said.
“They have suggested that the modelling should be redone and that the roadmap should be redone in consultation with the academic community, the business community, the broader community, and the commonwealth — and we agree with that.”
Mr Andrews said on Sunday it was “unlikely” he would revise the road map for reopening.
“The passage of time is, I know, very painful, very challenging for businesses and for families, but in terms of taking safe steps, it is a positive thing,” he said. “Despite the pretty vocal criticism from many in the business community, I have had no business leader come to me and say: ‘the best outcome here is to open and then have to close again.’ That just doesn’t make any sense.”
Former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Graeme Samuel said the lockdown had devastated the community and resulted in the permanent closure of many small businesses.
“There are many small businesses that are closed for good, they are finished,” said Mr Samuel, now a professorial fellow at Monash University. “And there is the flow-on effect up the line to suppliers and manufacturers. Big business can survive but small businesses are gone.”
Professor Samuel said the roadmap should be provided to the Productivity Commission for urgent independent review.
“The modelling that has been put out has been queried and challenged by so many people, including the modellers themselves,” he said.
“The modelling does not lead to the roadmap closures … my first plea to the Premier is to get it checked and checked by (the) Productivity Commission.”
Susan Alberti, a prominent Melbourne businesswoman and former vice-president of the Western Bulldogs Football Club, said she saw “little real effort being made to support our children in having a normal as possible childhood”.
“(And) I see little empathy for the thousands of small business people whose hopes and dreams and hard work have been destroyed,” Ms Alberti said. “Personally I am witnessing family and small businesses closing permanently and general lack of trust in what we are being told.’’
Wesfarmers chief executive Rob Scott, who last week was highly critical of the restrictions on retailers, said he was fundamentally concerned about the impacts on mental health, the community and on business.
“The impact on isolation, loneliness, depression is reaching a crisis point … curfews undermine confidence for no discernible health benefit,” Mr Scott said.
“I think it is an excellent idea to review the modelling … it shouldn’t be the case of the ‘computer says no’.”
Telstra chief executive Andy Penn would not be drawn on whether the modelling should be revisited, but said he was concerned about the broader impact on the community. “Telstra will do everything we can to support the Victorian government in the lifting of restrictions balanced with appropriate health considerations,” Mr Penn said.
Mr Perreault offered the full scientific resources of CSL to help the Victorian government in finding a way through the crisis.
“The government doesn’t have to do this alone … I am happy to talk to them. And use the data we have to guide their decisions,” the CSL chief said. “We have to be prepared to change course … I have no interest in scoring political points … it’s in the interest of helping the population. We have dozens of data scientists, supply chain expertise (and) we are happy to share those resources and happy to share it with the government and the Premier.”
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