6 May 2020 / COVID-19

National Cabinet Updates

The PM just addressed the media:

Joined by IR Minister, Christian Porter & Chair of the COVID19 Commission, Nev Power
No matters to report from a health point of view today. That will come on Friday at next Nat Cab meeting. CMO will hold normal press briefing though (not sure if this meant today)
Today’s focus if briefing – getting Australia back to work.
Hundreds of thousands of Australians have been protected in terms of health and lives have been saved.
Decisions made that have managed to curb the health and economic impacts – costs would be greater if they weren’t made, but still these decisions have come at a cost
To get Australians back to work, their workplaces have to be COVID safe, National Cab is working on what a COVID safe economy will look like.
More than 1 million JobSeeker applications processed, 5 million on JobKeeper, 1 million accessing super, 384,000 businesses receiving $1B cash flow assistance
[ScoMo then showed slides regarding impacts on economy (jobs/activity) – will circulate when available online]
Economic activity and job availability falls in all states (particularly VIC/NSW/QLD)
Not seeking to delay getting economy back on track but must be taken carefully, with COVID safe workplaces.
Numbers/outbreaks will occur when restrictions are eased.
Businesses, employers and employees need the tools to operate a COVID safe workplace.
Downloads of COVID app – 5 million today, 16 million targeted, Govt is about 1/3 of the way there.
App’s job is to keep people safe. If you come into contact with someone, you will be able to be contacted and you can make decisions around this. First job of the app is to keep ‘YOU’ safe – best reason to download. Reiterated people needing to keep downloading.
Restrictions costing $4B a week.

Christian Porter

Health and safety strict legal requirements, all employers have to comply to manage risks, and will need to do so with COVID
Monitoring and enforcement occurs in each state/territory
Nat Cab has adopted safe workplace principles – consistency in approach across Australia
COVID Safe App – very important to get back to normal
COVID19 Planning Toolkit – being worked on
SafeWork Australia COVID19 website - 1 million visits, a lot higher than normal hits to SafeWork website
SafeWork website will provide consistent detailed granular level information as a head start to every business in Australia, so as to the best way to cope with the new COVID safe environment
It will describe what measures will mean for a particular jurisdiction, type of business – how you will engage social distancing/hygiene/cleaning/PPE – how this will apply to different types of business
It will help to safely reanimate businesses

Nev Power

Working with everyone across industries, working with businesses to help with issues, on how to operate and how to get businesses ready
4 key issues
- Reconfiguring and restructuring work sites, business by business
- How to respond if there is an incident
- How do we return that workplace to a safe place to work
- Communication process, ensuring everyone knows what to do
With SafeWork, we will have a complete COVID19 toolkit available.
Some businesses already operating in reconfigured workplace, some not yet there, some need help.
Want to get people back at work, but while keeping work safe.
Configure workplace to introduce social distancing / hygiene measures as a higher level of activity is introduced and as the economy gets back on track again.
We don’t want to introduce restrictions again, we want to be able to deal with outbreaks as they occur instead.
Looking forward to a more relaxed restriction world but we still need to do the right thing.

Q&A

ScoMo wants students back to school and is based on health advice as it consistently has been.
Friday will be a roadmap session which shows Australia the path back to normality.
PM Ardern joined today, first time NZ PM has joined for a very long time. PM invited her. They discussed a safe travel zone but still some time away – but wanted to flag so it can be done in future.
ScoMo doesn’t want open/shut, open/shut of businesses.

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24 March / Training

Funded Spots Available for Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety

This qualification applies to individuals working in, or wishing to transition into, a work health and safety (WHS) role who provide a broad range of technical knowledge and skills and have some limited responsibility for the output of others.

The qualification applies to those working as supervisors, WHS personnel, and workers in other WHS-related roles who manage risks effectively, apply relevant WHS laws, and contribute to WHS within the workplace in known or changing contexts with established parameters.

The specific nature of this course will include contextualisation of Hutchies’ Policies, Processes, Procedures, and Systems relating to on-site hazard identification, risk assessment and hierarchy of control measures within the scope of its operations.

Units of competency for the Cert IV WHS that we will cover are:

BSBHWS412 Assist with workplace compliance with WHS Laws
BSBWHS413 Contribute to Implement & Maintenance of WHS Consultation & Participation Processes
BSBWHS414 Contribute to Risk Management
BSBWHS415 Contribute to implementing WHS Management Systems
BSBWHS416 Contribute to Workplace Incident Response
BSBWHS417 Assist with Managing WHS Implication of Return to Work
BSBWHS418 Assist with Managing WHS Compliance of Contractors
BSBWHS431 Develop Processes and Procedures for controlling Hazardous Chemicals in the workplace
BSBCMM411 Make a Presentation
BSBWRT411 Write Complex Documents

Funding is available for eligible Queensland participants via CSQ.

For course inquiries call / email Warren Belford on 0427 337 379.

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22 March / Event

2025 Hutchies Training Awards

Please join us for a night of celebration to recognise Hutchies’ brightest learners

Every year we identify an exceptional apprentices, cadets and continuous learners from Hutchies’ training and professional development programs.

Date and Time

Saturday, 22 March 2025
5.30pm for 6pm start

Location

Western Districts Rugby Football Club
65 Sylvan Road
Toowong QLD 4066
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Enquiries

Michelle Buckland
0447 758 566
training@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

RSVP

Places are limited - please confirm
your spot by
Friday, 14 March 2025

3 - 8 March / Weather Alert

Tropical Cyclone Alfred / Preparations for South East Queensland

With the threat of Tropical Cyclone Alfred tracking towards SEQ and forecast to make landfall from Thursday onwards, it is extremely important that we prepare our projects the best we can.

If all projects between Bundaberg and Byron Bay could today start the process of storm / cyclone preparations.

This should be completed and documented using the Inspections > Site Shut Down - Cyclone Preparation Checklist F-084-C tab located on HammerTech.

Please note, any project that has an erected tower crane will also need to ensure they have updated documented advice from their crane engineer outlining the correct weathervane radius, this should be specific to your project.

Hutchies' owned and managed cranes can coordinate this through Bradley Beck, all third party supplied cranes will need to actioned with their nominated representatives.