Lockdown lifted for parts of Regional NSW

Yesterday the NSW Government announced that some parts of regional NSW that have been deemed low risk and which have seen zero cases of COVID-19 in the last 14 days will emerge from lockdown from Saturday 11 September.?

However many parts of regional NSW remain in lockdown and will continue to be subject to the current stay at home orders.

Regional areas that remain subject to stay at home orders

The following areas on the Hunter and Central Coast remain subject to the current stay at home restrictions.

·???????Central Coast

·???????Cessnock

·???????Dungog

·???????Lake Macquarie

·???????Maitland

·???????Mid Coast

·???????Muswellbrook

·???????Newcastle

·???????Port Stephens

·???????Singleton

·???????Upper Hunter

What are the ongoing lockdown restrictions?

People that live or work within the lockdown areas will only be allowed to leave home for the same 4 permitted ‘reasonable excuses’ that currently apply.

• The current arrangements that apply to residential building work remain in place including that:
• All building activity can continue subject to ensuring all sites adopt COVID safety measures.
• The worker limits that apply to renovation work at occupied homes remain in place.
• All other COVID-19 health and hygiene requirements apply.

More details on the current restrictions are available in HIA’s Member Alert of 14 August .

Rules for the rest of regional NSW

For members living outside of the lockdown regional areas, carpooling is permitted and residential building work can continue subject to the following COVID-19 restrictions:

• Limiting the number of people on construction sites and in offices to the greater of 1 person per 4 square metre or 25 people.
• Face masks must be worn in indoor areas where it is safe to do so unless an exemption applies. This includes in:

- an office unless you are working alone, and

- an indoor area of a construction site.

• Ensuring people practice physical distancing wherever possible.
• All workplaces including residential building sites are required to use the ServiceNSW QR codes for contact tracing purposes.
• An employer must allow an employee to work from home if the employee is reasonably able to do so.

The HIA Making space on site guidelines are available to assist businesses operate in a COVIDSafe manner, including operating display homes, in offices and on construction sites.

Travelling within NSW

Regional NSW residents are free to move between all regional NSW local government areas for work that cannot be done from home. There are no restrictions in place in relation to COVID-19 testing or limiting the areas people can enter for work. More details are available in HIA’s COVID-19 restrictions on travelling around NSW information sheet.

Update on Display Homes

Display homes are permitted to operate across NSW, subject to certain requirements including:

• Appointments being made with customers in advance
• A limit of one person at a time inspecting the home, excluding staff
• The adoption of a QR Code system and all visitors checking in
• All other COVID safe measures being adopted including face masks, physical distancing and all other COVID health and hygiene requirements.

More information regarding inspections of properties, including display homes is available on NSW Government website here .

Further information

Given the changing nature of the COVID-19 rules, members may still need to manage contractual issues over the coming weeks. HIA has a range of information available to assist with any questions that have arisen regarding your contracts and clients due to the restrictions.

HIA recognises that the impact of COVID-19 has been significant on members, staff and families. Members should take time to look after your staff and your own personal health including being mindful about everyone’s mental health. HIA has a range of resources available to members through our partnership with BeyondBlue.

The HIA Workplace Advisers are continuing to assist members with their questions, however there is a growing library of FAQs and information available on HIA’s COVID-19 webpage that may also help members