Coronavirus: Victoria’s tough new restrictions leave empty shelves and confusion

Melbourne’s new restrictions have led to a return to panic buying­ and confusion over the wording of regulations.

Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne’s southeast is almost deserted as retail stores prepare to close for six weeks. Picture: David Geraghty

Melbourne’s new restrictions have led to a return to panic buying­ and confusion over the wording of regulations and what Premier Daniel Andrews is saying­ in his daily presentations.

Supermarkets across Melbourne were empty of beef mince and one chilled vegetable section at a Woolworths in Mel­bourne­’s inner east was empty apart from a tub of eggplant.

Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra said the association had been working with the Victorian government since Saturday on the new restrictions and the allowance­ of services such as contactless click and collect.

“It could have been worse, seeing the majority of sales are done in-store,” he said. “It cushions the blow.”

He said click and collect and postal delivery would allow people to continue to shop locally but the restrictions were taken with a safety-first approach.

“The other states are watching nervously,” Mr Zahra said.

Ahead of this week’s retail and industry shutdown, key elements of which start at midnight on Wednesday, there was widespread anxiety about everything from babysitting, dog walking, trades and lawn mowing through much of Melbourne.

Woolworths Group chief executive Brad Banducci said in a statement that new state government restrictions on the meat industry and Woolworths’ supply­ chain (including the logistics partners) would come into effect on Friday night.

“We are engaging with the government as I write to seek further clarification on these changes and are in parallel, working with our suppliers and doing all we can to minimise any disruption to the supply of meat and other products in our stores and online,” he wrote.

“We will keep you updated as best we can and in the meantime, we’d ask you again to shop as you normally would and only buy what you need.”

Jim Penman, founder of gardening­ operator­ Jim’s Group, said the Victorian Premier, in his daily press briefings, had different messages about the new restrictions compared with official Health Department guidelines.

“I think the Premier just went off-the-cuff. He doesn’t know what he’s doing,” he said. In an email, viewed by The Australian, Mr Penman has offered­ to pay fines incurred by his home-service franchisees provided they obeyed written guidelines.

“Our legal advice is that we are bound only by written guideline, and that these trump any statements made verbally by the Premier,” he wrote. “In the very unlikely event that fines are imposed, Jim’s … will challenge and (if necessary) pay them.”