COVID-19 : NOVEL CORONAVIRUS
WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL 2021
Please find below a selection of recent legislation changes relating to COVID-19 and communications for workplaces from key safety and environmental regulators in Australia and New Zealand.
This update is provided on a weekly basis.
LEGISLATION CHANGES
Please note: The legislation in this update was current at time of release. Legislation around COVID-19 is frequently updated and revoked. The URLs provided may no longer be maintained by the relevant legislative website, after the release date.
Advance to the Finance Minister Determination (No.7 of 2020-2021)
- Increases administered item for Outcome 2 for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications to $475,816,000 to provide urgent support to the aviation sector during the next stages of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Amends the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Overseas Travel Ban Emergency Requirements) Determination 2020 to provide that where a person has spent the previous 14 days only in either or both Australia and New Zealand, they are exempt from the travel ban if they intend to travel directly to New Zealand only and then return to Australia; or if they travel directly to New Zealand and do not intend to return to Australia.
- Amends subsection 5(2) of the Industry Research and Development (COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program) Instrument 2020) to omit the “qualify for the JobKeeper Scheme” to clarify that ongoing JobKeeper scheme qualification is not an eligibility requirement for the second round of the Program, given that the scheme ceased on 28 March 2021.
JobMaker Hiring Credit Reporting Obligations Amendment Instrument 2021
- Contains changes to the JobMaker Hiring Credit Reporting Obligations Instrument 2020 to enable employers using a software solution that does not support the reporting of all required information through Single Touch Payroll to claim JobMaker Hiring Credit payments.
Public Health (Jervis Bay Territory) Emergency Declaration Further Extension (No. 2) 2021
- Further extends the period during which the Public Health (Jervis Bay Territory) Emergency Declaration 2020 is in force by a period of 90 days.
Therapeutic Goods Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021
- Supports the streamlining of applications for new ingredients for use in listed and assessed listed medicines, and enhances the data protection scheme for such medicines.
Liquor Amendment Regulation 2021 (No 1)
- Allows the commissioner to reduce fees payable, in addition to waiving fees, in relation to a licence permit if the fee is payable during a COVID-19 emergency or the 12 months following a COVID-19 emergency and the commissioner considers it appropriate.
Public Health (COVID-19 Areas of Concern Notice (No 16)
- Identifies areas or places to be a COVID-19 affected area, a COVID-19 Place of High Concern and a COVID-19 Place of Concern.
- Restricts non-essential gatherings and the operation of non-essential businesses and undertakings in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Child Protection (Working with Children) Amendment (COVID-19 Proof of Identity) Regulation 2012
- Extends by 6 months the operation of Clause 18(3)(c) of the Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013, which was enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exemption Under the Public Health (COVID-19 Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021
- Makes various exemptions from the Public Health (COVID-19 Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021 for RSL NSW and persons marching in or attending the ANZAC Day march.
COVID-19 Directions (No. 5) 2021: Cruise Vessels
- Prohibits certain vessels from entering Territory waters, a Port Darwin or a port in the Territory, or operating in Territory waters unless certain conditions are met.
Justice Legislation (COVID-19 Emergency Response - Documents and Oaths) Amendment Regulation 2021
- Clarifies the intended operation of the modified requirements or arrangements for the making, signing and witnessing of wills, enduring documents and general powers of attorney under the Justice Legislation (COVID-19 Emergency Response - Documents and Oaths) Regulation 2020, made in reliance on Sections 8 and 9 of the COVID-19 Response Act 2020.
Movement and Gathering Direction (No. 9)
- Sets out requirements for how people may interact with others in public spaces, residences and non-residences.
Queensland COVID-19 Restricted Areas (No. 14)
- Declares that there are no Local Government Areas listed as Queensland COVID-19 restricted areas for the Public Health Direction - Aged Care (No. 26), Public Health Direction - Disability Accommodation Services (No. 16) or Public Health Direction - Hospital Visitors (No. 18).
Restrictions on Businesses, Activities and Undertakings Direction (No. 18)
- Restricts certain businesses, activities and undertakings.
Emergency Management (Public Activities No 23) (COVID-19) Direction 2021
- Imposes principles and rules relating to the conduct of certain activities involving members of the public, the management of places in which the activities occur and the management of contact tracing records.
- Allows certain senior police officers to modify the directions that a person entering WA must comply with.
Controlled Border for Western Australia Amendment Directions (No 21)
- Amends the Controlled Border for Western Australia Directions by replacing various paragraphs relating to international arrivals, quarantine, international arrivals from New Zealand and powers of authorised officers.
- Amends and replaces Flight Crew Directions (No 5) to allow international flight crew arriving in WA from New Zealand to be treated in the same manner as people entering WA from other States and Territories within Australia.
Maritime Crew Directions (No 2)
- Allows maritime crew entering WA from New Zealand to be treated in the same manner as maritime crew entering WA from other States and Territories in Australia.
Presentation for Testing Directions (No 22)
- Amends and replaces the Presentation for Testing Directions (No 21) to allow people entering WA from NZ to be treated in the same manner as people entering WA from other States or Territories within Australia.
- Modifies the operation of existing requirements to self-quarantine and present for testing that apply to people who entered WA within 14 days of being in Queensland or New Zealand.
Transiting Aircraft Passengers Directions (No 2)
- Allows people entering WA from New Zealand to be treated in the same manner as people entering WA from other States and Territories within Australia and clarifies that a person entering WA from a place outside Australia, other than NZ, cannot be considered as a transiting passenger if they are transiting to NZ.
- Amends certain orders, mainly in relation to quarantine-free travel from Australia, the Cook Islands, and Niue (QFT places) to New Zealand.
COVID-19 Public Health Response (Exemption for Quarantine-Free Travel) Notice 2021
- Exempts certain persons from the requirement to comply with Clause 8(2A) and 8(3) to (4) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020.
Exemption of Persons From Pre-departure Requirements Before Arriving in New Zealand by Air
- Exempts persons, whose journey by air to New Zealand begins in certain listed countries, from the requirements for pre-departure COVID-19 testing or examination by a medical practitioner set out in clause 8(2B) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020.
FROM THE REGULATORS
Queensland Government:
The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory:
Tasmanian Government:
World Health Organisation:
- Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) Review of Latest Evidence of Rare Adverse Blood Coagulation Events with Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine (Vaxzevria and Covishield)
- Statement on the Seventh Meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee Regarding the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic
That completes this edition of the COVID-19 update. The next update will be released on Wednesday 28 April 2021.