Coronavirus: Victorian building industry shutdown averted

Threats by builders to shut down most of the Victorian construction industry have been averted after the Andrews government made 11th-hour concessions.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Getty Images

Threats by builders to shut down most of the Victorian construction industry in days have been averted after the Andrews government made 11th-hour concessions allowing specialist trades and equipment to move between sites up to three times a week.

Construction projects of more than three storeys will remain limited to a maximum 25 per cent of normal employee capacity, but the government clarified its earlier edict that employees could only work at one site for the next six weeks of stage four restrictions.

In revised guidelines issued on Thursday afternoon, the government said specialist trades, engineers and equipment that need to move between large-scale construction sites will be able to visit up to three sites per week.

Residential construction projects will be limited to five workers on site but there will also be movement allowed by some tradespersons between sites.

“There will be limited movement allowed, particularly for specialist trades, who once they have completed their tasks they need to move to the next home, and building supervisors, people who are running those teams of trades people, they will also be able to move between sites,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

Industry sources said a number of builders told a briefing of employers and unions on Thursday they would be able to “limp along” for the next six weeks rather than shut down.

Master Builders Victoria chief executive Rebecca Casson said on Thursday that the clarifications “will ensure most of our industry can continue to function in a modified form, while contributing to the goal of overall restriction of movement across our community”.

“The clarification that is most welcomed is the flexibility for tradespeople and supervisors to move between sites, now being allowed to visit three sites each week,” she said.

“While this still significantly scales back building, the early feedback is it will allow many builders to keep working and keep our industry safely open, which is what we were seeking.”

Ms Casson said the 25 per cent restriction on baseline workers for large commercial construction would have a significant effect.

“Some builders and subcontractors will be able to continue, some may not – we will work to seek more information and solutions for those that are affected,” she said.

“However, the government has made it clear that their intent is not for a complete shutdown of our industry.”

Mr Andrews urged Victorians not to panic-buy meat as the government ordered abattoirs to cut production by up to one-third.

Beef, lamb and pork abattoirs will have to scale back to two-thirds of normal output and poultry plants will reduce operations to 80 per cent.

Reductions will not apply to seafood operators with less than 40 staff.

“All of these measures are about driving down the number of workers to the lowest number we can practically get to, whilst at the same time not delivering critical shortages of product,” Mr Andrews said.

He said there was no need for people to go to supermarkets and seek to stockpile months of food.

“You may not necessarily be able to get exactly the cut of meat that you want, but you will get what you need and you will get all the products that are fundamentally important to you,” he said.

“It will only make things harder if people who have the means to do it go and buy enormous quantities of food.

“That will just mean that other people potentially don’t get the things that they need.

“That’s why the supermarkets have put a number of buying limits in place.”