AIMS site working arrangements with respect to COVID-19

Please be advised that with effect from Monday, 16^th March, AIMS staff have begun a partial work from home process to help contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Each of AIMS three sites differ in terms of risk profiles and therefore we have applied different approaches to each of them. Despite this obvious disruption, AIMS will continue to function and continue to deliver the best science for the nation.

In Perth, where we share a building with other users on the University of Western Australia campus, the office will be shut until further notice and staff will work from home.

AIMS’ office in Darwin, at the Arafura Timor Research Facility, on the Charles Darwin University campus will also close but be accessible to staff for critical work.

Our Townsville site is a standalone location and we will keep this open, however we will reduce the number of people at the site to help make social distancing controls easier to implement and more effective. This means that if people are able to work from home, then they will do so.

These are prudent measures designed to maintain the health and well-being of our people while keeping important scientific research functioning.

We believe this is the safe and sensible approach. It is important that we play our part to help stop the spread of the virus to our people, our community and to those from other organisations with whom we work.

We have reviewed our Continuity of Business Plans and are confident that AIMS can continue to function effectively and also maintain our key functions such as operating the National Sea Simulator.

We faced a similar, although shorter term, challenge with the Townsville floods in February last year so for many staff working from home is routine.

We are monitoring what is a constantly changing situation, we will align our comprehensive approach with advice from the Australian Government’s Department of Health and adjust our procedures as necessary.