CV and mad panic behaviour

[madbluboy]

Construction is only operating at 25% of what they say they need which is of course 4 times the usual number.

[madbluboy]

He is a deceitful lying bast@rd.  They're the "nice" things I can say about him.

He's a great politician.

[shawny]

Construction is only operating at 25% of what they say they need which is of course 4 times the usual number.

Exactly. Its so predicable how this government excludes construction from the restrictions yet retail sectors that most would trust more to follow strict rules about density and social distancing  masks etc have been closed for majority of this pandemic leaving the majority of them now beyond repair and unlikely to reopen.

Same goes for hospitality. That industry is almost  never going to return. Well definitely won’t in our lifetime.

Heard the City and Lygon st are 2 areas where 70% of shops have for lease signs in windows.

All while majority of the construction sector is still ploughing on.

Double standards with the usual union pull overriding a balanced and fair go for all sectors.

[Mav]

So Covid has killed the hospitality sector. Sheep happens in a pandemic.

[LP]

Construction is only operating at 25% of what they say they need which is of course 4 times the usual number.

I've family, friends and associates in the building industry.

They aren't really constrained by the lockdown, they are constrained by the lack of available materials. That is the main reason they are working at reduced capacity, they would be flat out on new builds if they could get materials. Home renovations and small refurbishments won't help as the small jobs are at the very back of the queue for obtaining supplies, and changing the lockdown state won't fix that problem. It's the lack of material supply from overseas that is the problem, there are local suppliers, but the big boys have sucked up all the local materials at a premium price the bulk of the industry won't or can't pay!

I've another associate that is a hardware importer, mostly fixtures and fittings(furniture) for doors and windows, etc., etc.. They have containers and containers of stuff stuck somewhere between China and Australia, typically Singapore or Hong Kong, waiting for ships to be released from quarantine. They are so desperate they have started having containers unpacked by hand and sending urgent quantities by air, this drives the cost through the roof so end users buy less and less.

The next thing that will happen is that the small builders on fixed contracts are going go belly up, because they are stuck on terms they can no longer meet, and changes to the lockdown do nothing to help them.

[LP]

Exactly. Its so predicable how this government excludes construction from the restrictions yet retail sectors that most would trust more to follow strict rules about density and social distancing  masks etc have been closed for majority of this pandemic leaving the majority of them now beyond repair and unlikely to reopen.

They haven't stopped the retailers trading at all, they have stopped foot traffic, but they can market and sell online all they like. But like the construction industry, many of them can't get materials or stock to sell so the lockdown point becomes mute!

Example, I tried repetitively to get some specialist IT materials locally over the last few weeks, search every state, but came up with nothing, nada not a thing, nobody local wants to purchase and hold stock, so I got it faster and cheaper from Canada. Skimming is dead, if that is your only business plan you are screwed after this pandemic sorts itself out!

Some food industries that adopted local produce and home delivery or pick ups are booming, but it becomes very competitive, they now compete with a whole suburb or region of suppliers not just the local shopping centre. I do feel sorry for them, because every retailer is now measured against the best, not just the best nearby.

I doubt any of us can generalise, it's not as simple as point and blame! I do not know who or what they will blame next, they will get some freedom back but the shizen will remain. The news media selling us freedom as the cure is really selling a new version of snake oil!

No country or region is going to open up and burn the local health system so 20-somethings can go back to the monster rave, or industry sweat shops can refill with children, it's not going to happen. So the world better get it's head around the future!

[kruddler]

I've family, friends and associates in the building industry.

They aren't really constrained by the lockdown, they are constrained by the lack of available materials. That is the main reason they are working at reduced capacity, they would be flat out on new builds if they could get materials. Home renovations and small refurbishments won't help as the small jobs are at the very back of the queue for obtaining supplies, and changing the lockdown state won't fix that problem. It's the lack of material supply from overseas that is the problem, there are local suppliers, but the big boys have sucked up all the local materials at a premium price the bulk of the industry won't or can't pay!

I've another associate that is a hardware importer, mostly fixtures and fittings(furniture) for doors and windows, etc., etc.. They have containers and containers of stuff stuck somewhere between China and Australia, typically Singapore or Hong Kong, waiting for ships to be released from quarantine. They are so desperate they have started having containers unpacked by hand and sending urgent quantities by air, this drives the cost through the roof so end users buy less and less.

The next thing that will happen is that the small builders on fixed contracts are going go belly up, because they are stuck on terms they can no longer meet, and changes to the lockdown do nothing to help them.

I'm in the building industry and what you say has some merit, but not entirely true.

Yes, reduced numbers does make a difference. On bigger sites its limited to 25% of normal capacity, how they determine what normal is i'm not sure as numbers vary dramatically depending on what, when and how they are building.

For the smaller sites, normal residential housing, they are limited to 5 on site plus a supervisor. This can also have a dramatic affect on building....again, depending on the stage they are up too. Its not uncommon for there to be double that on site if not more. Clearly, half as many people means things are taking twice as long.

Yes, the shortages are certainly hurting the industry. Timber shortage has been going for a year now and the quality of builds will suffer as a result in my opinion. Can't get 90x45 anywhere unless you are a big builder, so 90x35 it is, which is obviously less structurally sound. There are rules and regulations you need to follow, but i guarantee not everyone is. I wouldn't like to be buying a new house right now. Its not just timber, but many overseas items, usually more high-end stuff, but not limited too.

Personally, i haven't been too affected by Covid up until recently where i opted to take holidays to limit the people on site. Thankfully i had enough holiday pay, although i'd struggle of the xmas break. Ultimately, this happened to coincide with me changing jobs to a new role which will be largely unaffected as its a bigger company. So good timing all round.

So the construction industry has been restricted, without being crippled. Some might argue its similar to the hospitality industry that are allowing take away only. Or retail that are allowing click and collect only. The biggest difference between those industries is that the building industry generally doesn't have to cover the rent of a brick and mortar store, whereas the others usually do. THAT is what is crippling the industry. Give some kind of rental exemptions and we won't be seeing so many stores close.

Everyone's situation is different.

Its easy to tarnish a whole industry with 1 brush, but the construction industry is so vast and varied that you'd need a Phd to work out if you were allowed to work or not. You simply cannot stop the entire industry.
What happens if there is burst water pipes? Leaky gas pipes?
Power gone out?
Broken window?
Leak in the roof.....or no roof at all in mid construction.
What happens if something is not structurally sound?.....or due to weather/storms becomes not structurally sound?

[Macca37]

[quote author=LP link=msg=351825 date=16



No country or region is going to open up and burn the local health system so 20-somethings can go back to the monster rave, or industry sweat shops can refill with children, it's not going to happen. So the world better get it's head around the future!
[/quote]

I agree.  Gladys and Dan know what is coming but they have to keep the truth from the majority of the population who cannot or will not accept the terrible toll which will continue to be exacted by this pandemic on health and businesses.

The majority view seems to be that when we reach 80% double vaccination of the over 16 population, which equates to approximately 53% of the total population, we will be back to a pre pandemic lifestyle with a few restrictions, as yet not outlined.

Look no further than Singapore for a reality check.  With a population of 5.5 million and with over 80% of their total population vaccinated, two days ago they had 500 cases a day and expect to be up around 2,000 cases a day within two weeks.

An epidemiologist in WA today said that if that state were to open its borders with an 80% vaccination rate of the over 16 population, his projections showed that within a very short time WA Health would be overwhelmed by approx 240,000 cases.

We do need to get our heads around the future.

[madbluboy]

I will be shocked if we don't get over 90% of the 16+ population vaccinated.

[ElwoodBlues1]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/victorian-prem...37916.html
Dan is really on a power trip and must be dreading when CoVid ends and he has to go back to being mild mannered Dan Andrews instead
of Super Dan the almighty ruler of Victoria and holder of the magic elixir that everyone wants.
Let them eat cake Dan or in this case Vaxzevria or what ever they are trying to disguise it as this week, hope the over 60's vote his sorry Ar$e out next election.
Obviously his ego is more important than Over 60's health and even though most of the other other states are now offering a choice to get vaccination levels up he wants to be different Dan and keep his power trip going.