Tough New Restrictions for Businesses and Workers Kicked-In for Melbourne

Tough new restrictions for businesses and workers kicked-in for Melbourne at midnight but a promised list of who can work on-site, particularly in warehouses, came too late, industry groups say.

People allowed to work on-site now have to show a permit or official work ID if they are stopped by police to prove they can leave their homes, or face fines of up to $99,123 for businesses and up to $19,826 for individuals.

Since the stage four restrictions were announced by the Victorian government on Aug 2, theres been rising confusion about who can and cannot leave home for work in metropolitan Melbourne.

The government had promised to provide more details ahead of the restrictions coming into effect from Thursday but business groups say it came very late in night, leaving business scrambling.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said nothing was made available by the Department of Health and Human Services until after 11pm Wednesday -just an hour before midnight.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos tweeted a public link to the updated guidelines at 1am Thursday.

“Its still a bit of a disaster,” Willox told Nines Today show on Aug 6.

“Were now on the first morning of the new lockdown, and businesses still arent clear on what they can and cant do.

Willox said businesses were “flying blind”, particularly on issues like warehouses, noting that “reducing numbers of staff in warehouses would impact on food supplies, among many other things”, he told ABC radio.

Premier Daniel Andrews had warned earlier this week the new restrictions, which would see normal staffing levels at food warehouse and meat production outlets reduced to one-third, would impact food supply.

Retail stores across the city will largely be closed to customers from Thursday, while construction and manufacturing work will also been scaled back in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

Permitted workers and those working from home who cannot supervise their kids must fill out separate forms to send them to child care, kindergarten or primary scRead More – Source