TLA’s call to re-open Landscaping

Since the NSW Government announced  the temporary closure of the construction industry – including the landscaping sector – TLA have been advocating on your behalf.  We have written and placed phone calls to various NSW Government Ministerial offices outlining the following key messages: 

Outdoor work:
Our members operate exclusively in outdoor settings and often with no physical contact with clients, home-owners or members of the public.  We see the continued operation of landscaping works as such low risk as to outweigh the economic and personal devastation the close-down brings.   

Limited Movement:
Our construction members are generally located on one site at a time, often for weeks or months and do not tend to move from site to site each day.   Hence our industry presents minimal risk of transmission. 

Apprentices:
Our industry employs many apprentices, some of whom are under 17 years of age, therefore not qualifying for the current financial support measures in place.  We have requested having the age limit for financial support removed, making the support available for all apprentices.   

As it has been revealed that the decision to pause construction works was not based on health advice, we requested that landscaping businesses be permitted to re-commence operations as a matter of priority.  We gave assurance that the industry has already, and would continue to be, committed to implementing COVID-safe measures in its operations. 

In addition, we have been in contact with various industry bodies affected by the shut-down, including Master Builders Association NSW, Housing Industry Association, Landscaping Victoria and SPASA.  Our message to each of these has been that we support the push to re-open the construction industry and lend our voice to the call for immediate re-opening.   

The Government offices we have approached are, naturally, swamped with similar contacts from a wide range of industries and traction is difficult to achieve.  The more noise that can be made as an industry, the more likely traction becomes.  To that end, we have drafted a letter for use by members in approaching your local MPs and/or NSW Ministers.  Should you wish to use the letter, please review it carefully, adding your own relevant details, omitting any points which don’t apply to your business and of course, putting it on your own letterhead. Click here to download a copy of the letter. We encourage you to make contact with Government to raise the voice of the industry. 

We understand the suffering this shut-down brings and will continue to work hard to advocate as well as to keep you informed as new information comes to hand. 

Please contact the team via (02) 9630 4844 or team@landscapeassociation.com.au if you have any questions.   

Julie Krieger
CEO, The Landscape Association