Following the increase in COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the construction industry has come to a grinding halt until the 31st of July, provided the lockdown is not extended. However, the NSW government's decision to implement this restriction is not without its consequences, impacting an estimated 350,000 jobs and cost of $1.4 billion to the state's economy per week.
As such, this decision has been met with criticism from the construction industry as the government failed to consult with industry experts or provide ample notice prior to the introduction of the updated lockdown procedures.
Many are contrasting the state's leadership to that of Victoria, in which 25% of onsite personnel were still permitted to continue construction throughout their lockdown. NSW construction companies are more than confident in their capability to facilitate a COVID-19 safe work environment on site with up to 160 major projects having submitted COVID safe plans to the government following the state premier's announcement on the 16th of July.
The Chief Executive of the Property Council of Australia has stated that the priority now is to ensure that the NSW Government engages with the construction industry in the lead up to a safe reopening of construction sites while supporting jobs and workers during the period of forced closure
For more information, please visit https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/construction-sector-set-to-lose-billions-in-catastrophic-shutdown-20210719-p58ayn.html
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