Victorian construction workers have a week to get vaccinated to keep their jobs, as the state tries to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the industry and protect regional areas.
The Victorian government has moved to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for construction workers across the state after the virus spread into Ballarat, forcing the regional city into lockdown.
A further two cases were reported in the Victorian gold rush town on Thursday, including a household contact of the infected construction worker and an unlinked infection. It brings the cluster to six.
In response to the outbreak, all Victorian construction site workers will be required to show evidence to their employer they have had a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 11.59pm on September 23.
Limited medical exemptions and proof-of-booking exceptions will apply, in keeping with the vaccine mandate for aged care workers.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the decision was backed by health advice and designed to keep the construction industry open at its 25 per cent workforce cap.
“If they want to work and be part of that 25 per cent, they need to be vaccinated with one dose by midnight next Thursday night,” he told reporters.
“If they’re not, they won’t be able to come on site. That’s keeping them open. The other thing would be to close them down to zero.”
With 13 per cent of active cases in the state linked to construction sites, the industry was earlier this week warned its authorised worker status was in jeopardy as a four-week enforcement and vaccination blitz was launched.
CFMEU state secretary for construction John Setka on Tuesday said the state’s construction union was “pro-vaccine” but did not support mandatory workplace vaccination.
In further changes announced on Thursday, construction site workers have also been immediately banned from crossing the metro-regional boundary for work, tea rooms must shut, and food and drink can no longer be consumed indoors.
Mr Andrews said he wanted to avoid a repeat of the situation in Ballarat, with no more regional Victorian towns needing to revert to lockdown because of industry-related seeding events.
“If we see all this construction movement, we will see more cases. That will mean we have no choice but to lockdown bigger and larger parts of regional Victoria,” he said.
The ban on construction work travel between regional and metro areas will go both ways and apply to the sourcing of supplies.
Constructions workers unable to do their jobs because of the travel boundary ban will be eligible for income support.
“We’ll do whatever we can to support those people,” Mr Andrews said.
AAP
Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
