Master Builders Victoria (MBV) has welcomed today’s announcement by the Commonwealth and Victorian Government to establish a $85million Small Business COVID Hardship Fund to provide relief to small building and construction businesses unable to work during the latest COVID-19 lockdown.

MBV wrote to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews earlier this week to express grave concern that small building and construction businesses not permitted to work inside occupied premises during the recent lockdown were excluded from the Victorian Government’s business support grants.

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) has expressed concern that both State and Federal Governments have continued to exclude small building and construction businesses from COVID-19 support packages during the latest Victorian lockdown.

MBV CEO Rebecca Casson said there was a misconception that all building and construction companies could work during Victorian lockdowns.

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) can confirm that there have been some cases of COVID-19 in Victoria’s building and construction industry and these are being efficiently managed, consistent with COVID-19 Industry Guidelines implemented at the start of the pandemic.

A Multiplex site is currently under Department of Health outbreak management after a consultant engineer visited three of its Melbourne CBD sites late last week.

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) members joined a special webinar last night to hear firsthand some of the reasons for the current supply chain shortages crippling the building and construction industry, including a shortage of timber.

The reason MBV arranged this special webinar is because it is aware that, in addition to COVID-19 and the uncertainty of recent lockdowns, many members have also been struggling to source key materials which have been in short supply.

CEO Rebecca Casson said MBV was aware that this issue was an especially important topic for members.

Master Builders Victoria, the CFMEU VIC/TAS Branch, and Incolink have committed to encouraging their members to make an informed decision on the COVID-19 vaccine.

They have called on the state and federal government to maintain a sense of urgency and proactively educate and inform Victorians about the vaccine.

Rebecca Casson, CEO of Master Builders Victoria, said the coalition of building and construction groups, established at the start of the pandemic had commissioned research to understand the industry’s COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and what information they required.