Border opening to bring worker, supply shortage relief across Great Southern industries

Great Southern industry leaders are cautiously optimistic ahead of WA’s long-awaited border reopening next month. It’s expected to bring some much-needed relief for staff and supply shortages while adding some capacity restrictions. Fortress WA will open to interstate and international arrivals on March 3, after nearly 700 days of the State’s hard border. All travellers entering WA will be required to complete a G2G pass and take a rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arriving in WA. Australians coming home from overseas who are not vaccinated must undergo seven days of hotel quarantine and people entering from interstate must be triple-vaccinated. It comes as new level one measures were rolled out across Perth, Peel, Great Southern, South West, Wheatbelt and Pilbara on Monday as the State braces for more community transmission of Omicron. Businesses are again adapting to the 2sqm capacity rule across retail, hospitality, cultural venues, places of worship, hairdressers, beauty salons and fitness venues, along with a 500-person limit at nightclubs. A 75 per cent capacity limit has been placed on seated entertainment venues and major stadium events, home gatherings are capped at 30 people and private outdoor gatherings at 200 people. Albany mayor Dennis Wellington said he hoped the border reopening would bring some relief to local businesses struggling to find workers and local supermarkets battling stock shortages. “It obviously had to come down sometime and whether this is the right time or not it is very hard to judge but it is something we have to live with,” he said. “I think COVID is going to get here and how much it impacts us when it does is going to be something that we will just have to judge at the time. “It is very difficult to judge exactly which is the right time but I think now is as good a time as any.” WAFarmers president John Hassell said the State’s farmers had been doing it tough keeping the industry running amid major shortages in shearers, on-farm staff and seasonal workers. “I hope that it will mean that people can get the staff that they need for seeding, so that people aren’t having to run themselves ragged and also that the shearing staff that we so desperately need are actually able to get into the State,” he said. “What we’d really like is a resurgence of (backpackers) coming back in. “Unfortunately it might take a little time to get them back in, but that’s the plan.” Castle Rock Estate winemaker Rob Diletti said as wineries entered the critical time of harvest, operations could be impacted if staff were exposed to COVID. However, Mr Diletti said the border opening meant more pickers would be able to come to the region to help local businesses who had relied on international travellers for seasonal work before COVID. “Wineries are just coming into harvest so having more hand-pickers available will definitely be a help for a lot of businesses,” he said. “It’s coming to a pretty busy time so we have made sure we’ve got workers for the winery and vineyard. “We are quite small so we had mostly locals but we did rely on international travellers for some jobs — hand-picking was one of them.” Boston Brewing Co general manager Glen Daniel said although he had “mixed feelings” about the border reopening, it would help to alleviate the worker shortages plaguing the hospitality industry Statewide. Mr Daniel said the new capacity restrictions would translate to a reduction in sales for the brewery, especially during wet weather when the venue could not use its outdoor beer garden. “Restrictions are there for a reason and to try and keep people safe so it’s just something we have to roll with,” he said. “Hopefully the Government will be able to offer some financial benefits if businesses are affected.”