“Why is Bunnings open?...”

“Next Question”

That was the response of NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to a journalist's question about the ineffectiveness of the Sydney lockdown - on the day that a further 233 cases and two deaths were reported, including the death of a 27 year old man.

The current Sydney outbreak is at a critical juncture. The highly infectious Delta strain is in the community and spreading.

Since the beginning of the recent outbreak, by the start of August there had been 29 exposures in Bunnings stores putting workers and customers at risk, and forcing hundreds into quarantine. These include the following:

Villawood (2 separate exposures)

Northmead

Minchinbury

Hoxton Park (4 separate exposures)

Kingsgrove (2 separate exposures)

Greenacre (3 separate exposures)

Gladesville

Lidcombe

Smithfield (4 separate exposures)

Bellambi

Campbelltown

Belrose

Narrabeen

Lake Haven

Blacktown (3 separate exposures)

Goulburn

North Penrith

Rockdale

Penrith

Bonnyrigg (2 separate exposures)

Belrose

Alexandria

Ashfield (2 separate exposures)

Randwick (2 separate exposures)

Padstow

Caringbah

Kirrawee

Rose Bay

Eastgardens

Workers are at risk every time they come into the store while the outbreak continues. Many stores are still filled with groups browsing for long periods of time, putting workers and other customers at risk. Team members with pre-existing health conditions being stood down is evidence of this.

Advice from experts is clear: a lockdown in Sydney should have happened earlier than it did. Bunnings Warehouses across the city must act proactively to keep workers and our community safe.

Sign this petition to pressure Bunnings management and the state government to close in-store retail shopping - to protect workers and stop the spread in the community and follow the successful Victorian example of moving to trade and Click & Collect services only.

We demand the following:

1. All high-risk team members should be stood down on full pay.

2. Despite being listed as a "critical" retail store, Bunnings has the capacity to serve its customers in a safe way which limits face to face interactions to those in the trade. Departments should move into supporting trade and Click & Collect services, dividing work in these areas in a fair and safe way.

3. Casual team members should be supported, with regular working hours being maintained in Click & Collect services and where this is impossible, any required assistance in accessing government payments be provided.