COVID-19: Victoria slaps two-week ban on red zone removalists

Victoria has introduced an immediate moratorium on furniture delivery to Victoria from red zones in Australia after three removalists from Sydney spread the virus in three states.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Furniture removalists from any red zone in Australia have been banned from entering Victoria after three Sydney workers spread Covid-19 in three states.

The ban came as new exposure sites linked to the three men were identified in North Albury in NSW, near the Victorian border.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he did not want to discourage people from coming forward with information even though he had referred the removalists to police in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

“When it comes to people who have been flagrant, like these people, there is a process,” he said.

The three men have emerged as the main source of Victoria’s latest outbreak, which has seen the state enter its fifth lockdown.

Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson said the moratorium on interstate furniture delivery would last at least two weeks.

“The issue here is the consequence of these people being belligerent in obeying the rules and the process,” he told 3AW.

Effective immediately, transport workers travelling into Victoria from red zones will be required to get a Covid test every three days instead of every seven.

They must now always be carrying a negative test result as well as a letter from their employer, supervisor or customer confirming they are carrying out essential transport work.