THE Australian Logistics Council has applauded the decision of the NSW government to override curfews preventing night-time deliveries and loading dock use during the coronavirus crisis.
“This is a sensible and welcome move by the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Planning Minister Rob Stokes that will allow logistics companies to get stock into stores 24 hours a day,” said ALC CEO Kirk Coningham.
“It’s important that Australians understand we are confronting a demand challenge, not a supply one. Australia is not about to run out of food, toilet paper, or disinfectant products. The instances of panic buying we have witnessed in recent weeks are unprecedented and unhelpful.”
Mr Coningham said the ALC echoed the Prime Minister’s call from earlier this week for Australians to refrain from needless hoarding and panic purchasing.
“The most pressing challenge for logistics companies at present is getting stock into stores quickly enough to satisfy extraordinarily heightened levels of consumer demand,” he said.
“The existence of curfews that prohibit deliveries during certain hours are a barrier to addressing that challenge.”
Mr Coningham said the ALC is pleased that the NSW government had recognised this and moved to rectify the situation today. As reported in Daily Cargo News, this decision by NSW follows similar decisions in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
