The AQA says the MBIE is receiving a large number of travel exemption requests from the aggregate sector, as well as from contractors who provide specialised services to quarries.
“Could you please ensure that the following key information is included in any travel exemption application,” says AQA chief Wayne Scott.
Nationally important infrastructure
- The specific project(s) and/or building(s) where the work will take place?
- Does this relate to a supply chain?
- Who is the client for the project?
- How does the project relate to supporting the recovery from the effects on Covid-19?
- Please advise when this project/work is due to be completed?
Advise the following for each worker for permission is sought
- Their role in the work.
- Why their involvement is essential to the project?
- Why someone else already in the destination alert level region can’t do the work?
- Is it possible to use local labour to reduce the number of workers required to cross the alert level boundary?
- If the work is not carried out within the expected timeframe of the latest alert level, will it have a long lasting negative economic, social or environmental impact?
With travel details of the workers; advise the following for each worker
- What times and dates the worker will need to cross the boundary or be at the work site?
- Their specific origin (where the worker will travel from) and site address of the quarry.
In relation to contractors, it is helpful if the quarry a contractor is travelling to provides a letter of support for the worker(s) and how the work relates to the latest Health Order (No 12) see attachment.
For companies requesting exemptions for multiple quarries, it is preferable that they submit separate exemption requests for each quarry.
Nny queries, please contact Wayne: wayne@aqa.org.nz. 021 944 336, or Jeannette Walker: jeannette.walker@mbie.govt.nz , 04 896 5726.