Victorian abattoir coronavirus regulations still unclear
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has caused confusion over mandatory reductions to abattoir workforces across the state by making contradictory statements.
INDUSTRY is scrambling to interpret coronavirus regulations aimed at reducing Victoria’s abattoir workforce, following a series of contradictory press conferences.
The Victorian Government earlier this week ordered all meat processing sites to cut their workforce by 33 per cent.
But confusion reigns over whether the 33 per cent reduction affects peak workforce numbers or current operating numbers, with changes effective from Saturday.
Yesterday, Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the 33 per cent reduction was based on workforce numbers as of last week, not peak capacity.
But the Premier appears to have contradicted his own comments today, stating peak capacity was “more than 100 per cent”, with the aim to reduce workforce numbers as much as possible.
Mr Andrews said the Government was working to get workforce numbers “as close as we can” to two-thirds normal output.
Many processors were already operating well below capacity, due to below-average slaughter rates for both cattle and sheep so far this season due to restocking across Australia’s east coast.
Midfield Meats’s Warrnambool plant peaks at about 1300 workers a day, but low throughput means there are currently just 340 staff working at present.
Information provided by the Department of Health and Human Services on Stage Four restrictions state the reduction is 33 per cent at peak capacity.
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