News | 21 August

In news just announced, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has declared that all metropolitan Melbourne restrictions – except for the curfew – will be implemented across regional Victoria from 1pm today until 11.59pm Thursday, 2 September.

Additionally, because of the high rate of transmission in young people and the number of childcare centres now designated as exposure sites, all childcare centres and kinders across Victoria will be closed except to children whose parents are authorised workers and cannot be supervised at home. Vulnerable children can still attend. A permit system will apply, and further details will be available soon.

Further, changes will be made to metropolitan businesses operating in high-risk industries – like abattoirs, meat, poultry and seafood processing – with additional obligations such as workforce limits and mandatory surveillance testing to be implemented.

Please see the attached media release, which includes an updated summary table of restrictions, or you can reference via this link – CLICK HERE.

There is no change to Civil Construction settings with existing restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne remaining in place. These restrictions now also apply to Regional Victoria.

There were reported references late yesterday and also this morning in the media of further restrictions being introduced for the Building & Construction industry.  I have had confirmation this morning that the extent of these additional restrictions is reference to Civil Contractors in Regional Victoria now having to move to Metro settings as at 1.00pm today. 

There is no change to Metro restrictions already in place and I can assure you that the “status quo” remains in place for metropolitan Melbourne.

For all Regional sites, a common-sense approach to safely moving to metropolitan restrictions is required, ie:

  • Large Scale: permitted to be (at completion) more than three storey’s high (excludes basement). Larger than 1500 sq mtrs in floor size, is an office or retail fit out, or that is industrial, large format or retail use;

# staffing must reduce to 25 per cent of a project’s resourcing plan, or five workers on site, whichever is higher.

  • Small Scale: construction of a dwelling on residential developments, once subdivision occurs. The restrictions and term ‘construction activity’ is applicable from after the Base Stage to completion of the Fixing Stage.

# there is a limit of no more than five workers on site.

  • Early Stage Land Development: comprises all civil works undertaken in an open-air, large greenfield sites that are associated with and preparatory to construction of multiple individual residential dwellings or industrial or commercial development on that site.  This includes site remediation and site preparation works, construction of utilities, roads, bridges, stormwater / flood management works and trunk infrastructure.

# there is a limit of no more than 10 workers per hectare at any one time.

CCF is continuing to work on your behalf to ensure civil construction sites remain “open & safe”.  We all have an important role to play here and the continued adoption and adherence by CCF members and civil contractors to the COVID-19 B&C Industry safety guidelines (version 13), is greatly assisting our cause and advocacy efforts. 

CCF & UDIA Victoria made a joint submission to Government last night to draw the distinction between the various construction sectors, re-inforce our successful COVID Safe track record and the continued low risk of COVID-19 infection associated with Greenfield development & civil construction works.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Matt Kandelaars (CEO – UDIA Victoria) for his excellent collaboration and support in our efforts to keep the civil construction industry going during these challenging times and in doing so, enabling what is a significant employer and driver for Victoria’s economy to continue under COVID Safe settings.

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