"Construction sites, manufacturing plants, car dealerships and the majority of retail stores are set to be closed under the stage four restrictions poised to devastate the Victorian economy.
A draft document obtained by The Australian Financial Review sets out the huge numbers of businesses set to be shut from midnight Monday and the select few allowed to remain open as the Premier Daniel Andrews ramps up efforts to control the coronavirus outbreak.
Under the classifications in the document there are only three types of construction that will be allowed to continue: residential construction that is already underway, construction of critical infrastructure and infrastructure connected to essential services.
Examples of construction sites that will be closed for business are residential building sites yet to open, non-residential building construction, heavy and civil engineering projects.
The new classifications also orders the majority of the state's retailers to bring the shutters down with car dealerships, furniture stores, retail hardware stores, electrical goods stores, department stores, florists, clothing stores, antique stores, food courts, auction houses and sex shops ordered to close.
Retailers allowed to remain open include supermarkets, grocery shops, service stations, pharmacists, post offices, drive-through agricultural retailers and hardware stores that cater to permitted services or industries.
Under the new restrictions, businesses wanting to continue operating will need to seek a special exemption from Victoria's chief health officer.
Manufacturers of goods that "would, if not exempted, otherwise permanently close and create a major supply chain gap" or be "critical to global supply chains in the local and international manufacture of essential products overseas, such as medical equipment and supplies" will be exempted. So will businesses trading as sole operators.
For the financial services industry, only retail banking and the provision of banking services to those unable to access online services will be permitted. Financing, investing, insurance funds, superannuation funds and auxiliary finance and insurance services will be forced to close.
It is understood the finance industry was seeking greater clarity from the Victorian State Government on its interpretation of retail banking and the provision of retail banking services, after a similar ban in New Zealand saw some contractors such as security staff who oversee the maintenance of ATMs stopped at road blocks.
In the telecommunications and media sector book publishers, directory businesses, mailing list and software publishers are required to close while telecommunication services, newspaper production, radio and television broadcasting will be allowed to continue."
WHAT A MESS.
Political incompetence...
