Wesfarmers Among Organisations Calling For Reconsideration Of Victoria's Lockdown

Wesfarmers is one of several organisations pushing for Daniel Andrews, Victoria's Premier, to lift curfews and reconsider the region's route out of lockdown.

The south-eastern Australian state includes the city of Melbourne, which has been subject to Stage Four restrictions including night-time curfews between the hours of 8pm to 5am, since the 2nd August. Yesterday, the curfew was reduced by an hour, with residents able to be away from their homes until 9pm.  

The heads of various businesses including Wesfarmers, BHP and CSL, have urged the Premier to remove the curfew, amid growing unrest as protestors take to the streets to campaign about the restrictions.

Mr Andrews told a press conference that the curfew was in place to make it easier for police to enforce lockdown rules.

Bunnings and other hardware stores in Metropolitan Melbourne have been open to trade customers only since 11.59pm on Wednesday 5th August, while regional Victoria stores are open to all customers as the area is in Stage Three of lockdown.  Currently, it is not expected that Melbourne’s retail stores will be allowed to reopen until 26^th October. 

Rob Scott, the MD or Wesfarmers, has called for a review of Andrews’ plan, telling The Australian: ‘The impact on isolation, loneliness, depression is reaching a crisis point … curfews undermine confidence for no discernible health benefit. It shouldn't be the case of the "computer says no". 

'I worry that this latest ­announcement creates more ­uncertainty and hardship and will inflict a greater personal and economic cost, not just to the people of Melbourne but the whole of Australia,' he added.

Wesfarmers has offered to work with the Victorian government to develop a strategy to allow retail stores to begin reopening from the 28^th September, while working to COVID-19 protocols.

In a statement on its website, Bunnings said:

“Retail customers can either order through Click & Deliver or choose our contactless Drive & Collect service where products can be ordered online and collected from Bunnings car parks, without needing to get out of the car. Small business customers are able to use these options too. 

“Drive & Collect is a contactless service which gives customers the option to pick up their order from Bunnings car parks. Customers who have ordered online can select a convenient date and time to collect their order. On arrival, the customer parks in a nominated location in the car park, contacts the store team by calling the number on display, and a team member then brings your order out and places it in your boot. 

“All of our stores in Victoria offer contactless Drive & Collect, except for Werribee.”

Source : Insight DIY Team

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