Notification of Work in Response to Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021 – Reference MPW – Stage 2 SSD 7709

Current Works, General News
Thursday 29th July 2021

Premier’s announcement of stricter covid-19 lockdown conditions for greater Sydney on Saturday 17 July 2021 identified
that all construction in greater Sydney would be placed on hold as of 12:01am Monday 19 July 2021. At that time there
were no exemptions in place, hence, Sunday was the only period that make site safe and secure works could be
conducted prior to the Premier’s direction.

SIMTA considered the Premier’s announcement Saturday 17 July 2021, along with MPW 2 SSD7709 conditions of
consent, approved management plans, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) weather forecast as of 17 July 2021 and Ministers
Order – Environmental Planning and Assessment (covid-19 development-construction workdays) order (no2) 2021. It was
identified that considerable environmental risk would occur if site preparation activities did not take place prior to the
12:01am Monday deadline. This was further heightened by the BOM’s prediction for rain in the coming week. Hence, a
decision was made by SIMTA to make the site safe and conduct preparation activities for site closure on Sunday 18 July
2021.

Preparation Activities undertaken were strictly related to shutdown of site and make safe for the two-week period. This
required a greater level of preparation as compared to the normal weekend closure. Activities included maintenance, and
installation of additional environmental mitigation measures in accordance with the approved CEMP and CEMP sub plans.
Important to note, these activities were typical of a Christmas shut down period and works to progress the development of
site were not undertaken.

Subsequent to preparation activities taking place, Public Health (Covid-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering
Restrictions) Order 2021 was released at 6:10pm on the 18 July 2021. Part 4 – Special Directions for Greater Sydney,
Division 5 – Miscellaneous, 24AB – direction of Minister concerning closure of construction sites (1) (a-c) exempted the site
preparation activities that took place on the Sunday.

However, as per the previous statement, that information was not available to Qube on the 17 July 2021, when the decision
was made to carry out preparation activities for site closure, nor was it available on the morning of the 18 July 2021 when
preparation activities took place.

Note: SIMTA did not received any community complaints during or has not since the preparation activities took place.
SIMTA will carry out future maintenance activities in accordance with Public Health (Covid-19 Temporary Movement and
Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021, Ministers Order – Environmental Planning and Assessment (Covid-19 Development-
Construction Work Days) Order (no2)2021 and Conditions of Consent.

For updated shut down orders, SIMTA will engage directly with the issuing authority advising the risk posed to the environment and request that an extension be granted to allow adequate time for site preparation activities prior to closure.