Following the Property Council’s active advocacy, building and construction workers are now considered essential under new close contact arrangements. Here’s what you need to know…
National Cabinet has agreed to amend the close contact furlough arrangements for essential workers in several sectors, including property and construction.
Previously, a building and construction worker who was a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person was required to isolate for seven days.
But following active advocacy from the Property Council, workers who are a close contact must isolate only until they receive a negative RAT or PCR test. They are then required to take a RAT every second day until Day 6.
The move will ease skills shortages across the sector. Labour analysis released by National Australia Bank in January found four in 10 Australian businesses were feeling the talent squeeze, with larger businesses hit hardest and tradespeople accounting for around 35 per cent of the nation’s total workforce shortage.
Essential workers in the building and construction sector now include those who undertake:
- Urgent repairs and maintenance to ensure health and safety of occupants and sites
- Building and construction work on existing sites that ensures site safety and stability
- Building and construction work that enables or supports essential functions, such as health or quarantine facilities
- Critical works to maintain the continuity of construction that cannot be shut down and restarted
- Critical ancillary support functions and supply chain, including regulatory roles and surveyors.
In addition, essential workers in accommodation and real estate are defined as those who:
- Undertake private inspections to facilitate new leases, end of lease, or the sale of a property
- Conduct online auctions, and process sales and lease agreements
- Provide accommodation for existing guests and essential workers for welfare purposes or for quarantine
- Provide critical ancillary support functions.
States and territories will be responsible for implementing these changes and will consider their individual epidemiological and economic conditions.