** Follow up on discussion with Hon. Ben Carroll's Office **

Thank you for your response to the Industry Survey, sent last night.

Below is a collation of the information sent to the Minister for Public Transport, Minister for Roads and Road Safety, the Hon. Ben Carroll.

These questions will be added to the State Government website in the FAQ section.

Issue # 1: Testing drivers for COVID is required every 7 days.

Victorian residents who are interstate drivers are required by South Australia to be tested for COVID every seven days. In Adelaide, without cause, companies are informed to attend a 'drive through' or go to a GP to gain a referral. Drivers attend the drive through only to be turned away 1.5hr prior to closing due to the line-up. In Victoria, drivers attend a clinic or hospital and then are provided with a certificate informing them they cannot return to work for 3 days.

Note Please:

  • Many regional drivers work 3 days a week and then go home and isolate. They are in their truck cabins for most of the day alone and follow company COVID Safety Policies.

  • Being an essential service, having 50% of staff being stood-down severely impacts delivering food, running the business and overall efficiency to deliver to the likes of Woolworths, Coles and Aldi, potentially causing empty shelves at supermarkets.

Questions:

  1. How can this process for testing be expedited to that the Victorian based drivers can keep working and keep the essential food supply chain open? Is collaboration possible between the Federal and State Departments to support the national Food supply chain? Would testing less often for people in this situation be acceptable?
    Suggested Solution: Employ best practice and standardise regulations in every state.

  2. Does a driver coming from Victoria with refrigerated cargo have to stop and be tested for COVID en route to another state when taking a REST STOP or OVERNIGHT STOP? If so, do they need to wait for the result before they can proceed?

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Issue # 2: Cold Storage Facilities and Refrigerated Transport are presently running at triple picking capacity/ > “Christmas” requirement.

Question: Does the State Government agree to allow cold storage facilities, distributors and refrigerated transport operations to ramp up to necessary capacity without restrictions to fulfill retailer and increased demand of food products during stage 4 restrictions?
Suggested Solution: That the State Government acknowledges and supports that businesses run to capacity and at increased requirement during Level 4 shut down to ensure food reaches supermarkets.

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Issue # 3: If a Cold Storage Facility, an essential service, is effected by COVID, the likelihood that the shift or entire workforce could be impacted, severely effecting delivery of food to major retailers.

Suggested Solution: Would Government consider supporting such companies with a temporary stand in labour force from the armed forces?

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Further Suggestions:

  • Implement a consistent approach by standardising a national procedure for crossing multiple borders,

  • Provide clarification that interstate drivers are exempt and only have to provide proof of testing at the border,

  • Offering assistance and increased communications to allow the sector to follow through with the increased demands to supply major retailers and keep shelves stocked.

Marie Bertrand