A local councillor says he’s been inundated with residents who have contacted him because they cannot work during the lockdown and can barely manage.
In response, Cr Nathan Hagarty, pictured above, is calling on the State Government to lift its construction ban in Liverpool.
After a two week shutdown, construction resumed across large parts of Sydney on Saturday, but not to the South Western Sydney local government areas like Liverpool and Campbelltown, which are under stricter lockdown.
Cr Hagarty, who is the Labor candidate for Liverpool at the December 4 elections, says he has been overwhelmed with phone calls, emails and messages from residents who have been stood down or let go during the lockdown.
“They’re struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their families’ heads,’’ he says.
“They don’t want government assistance, they want to get back to work.
“Liverpool is a growth area with massive construction demand in the CBD, our growing suburbs and at the airport.
“We have construction ready to go and we have construction workers ready to get back on the tools.
“If it can be done in a Covid safe manner, it should be allowed to resume,’’ Cr Hagarty said.
The lockdown is now in its fifth week and currently scheduled to continue at least until the end of August.
“At the very least, just allowing surveyors on site would keep things ticking over,’’ Cr Hagarty said.
“Then through mandatory check-ins, social distancing and a reduced workforce allowed on site, we could get things going again.
“A reduced workforce is better than no workforce.
“Construction wasn’t halted in Victoria and has been allowed to resume in other parts of Sydney, but once again Liverpool and the South West are being unfairly singled out,’’ he said.
Councillor Hagarty put forward a motion at last week’s Liverpool Council meeting requesting the NSW Government allow construction to resume and workers in the LGA to get back to work.
