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The Victorian construction industry is hoping to deliver tens of thousands of Pfizer doses on building sites throughout Melbourne in an attempt to insulate the sector from further shutdowns.
As the halt on construction in NSW enters its second week, leaders of Victoria’s third largest industry are in talks with the federal and state governments to inoculate 40,000 workers by Christmas, or months earlier if adequate resources are directed to the task.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt’s office welcomed the sector’s plan.
Credit:Scott McNaughton
“It’s protection against site shutdowns if we get mass vaccination at worksites … This would essentially future-proof the industry,” said Erik Locke, chief executive of Incolink, an industry redundancy fund that provides welfare services for Victorian construction employees.
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Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said a “ring of steel” should be put around Sydney after New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a national emergency at a crisis cabinet meeting as NSW cases climbed to 136. She said, it is “fairly apparent” the state will not be close to zero by next Friday.
The Victorian Premier told journalists on Friday that NSW have “got a very significant challenge”.
“Many cases, and many of those cases were out and about for the entirety of their infectious,” Premier Andrews said.
Mr Andrews warned that if a “ring of steel was not put around Sydney, we will finish with the whole country in lock down”, and said he would be calling for this “at the national cabinet meeting” after his press conference.