Plea to cut isolation rules for key workers

Covid isolation rules for workers in key industries would be ­dramatically relaxed to allow ­employees deemed close contacts to keep working.

Australian Food and Grocery Council chief executive Tanya Barden presented the workforce plan at a meeting between supermarket and food supply retailers and the federal government, states and territories on Friday. Picture: Nikki Short

Covid isolation rules for workers in key industries such as the food and grocery sector would be ­dramatically relaxed to allow ­employees deemed close contacts to keep working under a plan to ease supply shortages.

As the Omicron wave forces up to half of workers in some distribution centres into isolation, a meeting of employers representing supermarkets and food supply retailers urged federal, state and territory leaders to cut isolation periods from seven to five days and relax the isolation requirements for close contacts.

National cabinet is expected to discuss workforce shortages at its meeting next week.

The plan emerged as Josh Frydenberg revealed on Friday night that he had been diagnosed with Covid-19. In a social media post, the Treasurer wrote: “Like thousands of Australians, I tested positive today to Covid-19. I have the common symptoms and am isolating with my family. My thoughts are with all those who have Covid – this is a difficult time but we will get through this.”

Australian Food and Grocery Council chief executive Tanya Barden presented the workforce plan at a meeting between supermarket and food supply retailers and the federal government, states and territories on Friday to solve disruptions to supply chains.

The relaxations to isolation rules would allow household contacts of confirmed cases to work during their seven-day isolation period if they were asymptomatic and had tested negative by rapid antigen test or PCR; reduce the isolation period for positive cases from seven days to five days; and provide free rapid antigen test kits for the food and grocery ­workforce.

“Food and grocery manufacturers are more concerned about the workforce impacts than at any point in the last two years … We are trying to be measured. We need to keep health and safety mechanisms in place, but we need to get people back to work quicker and in a safe way,” Ms Barden said.

The call follows Wednesday’s announcement by chief medical officer Paul Kelly that aged-care employees who were considered to be a low transmission risk would be allowed to continue working in a bid to ease workforce shortages and the relaxation of isolation rules for asymptomatic healthcare workers in NSW.

Ports Australia chief executive Mike Gallacher also called for federal, state and territory governments to immediately consider extending the isolation provisions for critical sectors ­including aged care.

Consumers have been met by bare shelves as staffing shortfalls continue to impact supermarkets as case numbers continue to rise. There were more than 72,000 ­recorded cases across the nation on Friday.

Woolworths boss Brad Banducci on Friday sent a note to customers, revealing that more than a fifth of the company’s workforce at some distribution centres was absent due to Covid-19.

Supply chain issues have forced Coles to limit shoppers to a maximum of two minced meat products, chicken breasts, chicken thighs and sausages.

A Home Affairs Department spokesman said the demand and workforce impacts of Covid-19 were “very complex” and required national co-operation to ensure critical services and supplies were maintained.

“The Australian government and state and territory governments are working together to manage and minimise the impacts of these supply, demand and workforce pressures,” he said.

While the national cabinet will consider further relaxing isolation rules, Mr Gallacher said there needed to be an immediate response to ensure the nation could respond to soaring infection rates.

He said essential workers should also be allowed to continue working if they were deemed a household contact, contingent upon a negative rapid antigen test.

“That’s something that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible. It’s not just supply chains, it’s going to be everyone feeding and watering our nation,” he said.

“If we had a large storm going through Sydney right now and we needed people out there turning the power back on do you ­really think we would really have people saying we can’t turn up to work because they may have been a close contact? You can’t over-respond in times of ­crisis.”

Ms Barden said it was imperative any changes to isolation rules were consistent across the nation, ­arguing the nation must find the balance between the health response and ensuring food and groceries remained available.

“Covid cases are spreading in the community,” she said. “We can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Given we have a greater demand for food and grocery products, supply constraints need to be alleviated through managing Covid cases.”

Food and groceries would remain available, Ms Barden said, but consumers would be increasingly forced to choose substitute products. Australian Logistics Council chief executive Brad Williams said there should be a recalibration of isolation requirements in sectors vital to the economy. “The situation is constantly evolving and it is important that we respond to the changing ­dynamics while still ensuring worker and community safety,” he said. “Reducing the isolation period for essential workers who are close contacts is a logical response and consistent with developments internationally.”

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said a negative rapid test should be sufficient for workers to return to the workplace. “There is real confusion within industry around the ever-changing rules and different expectations within different jurisdictions,” he said.

“There is also deep concern at the disruption caused by staff having to stay away from workplaces for what appears to be unnecessarily long periods.

“Expectations around isolation and close contacts need to reflect that the current virus variant is different to its predecessors. Just going back to approaches of nearly two years ago does not represent good and thoughtful policy making.”