A snapshot of restrictions relevant to retailers. The ARA will keep this post continuously updated. 

Current as of 19 September 2021, 2:45pm AEST. 

Quick links to the latest restrictions affecting retail, hair and beauty sectors:

• New South Wales 
• Queensland 
• Western Australia 
• Northern Territory
• Australian Capital Territory
• Victoria 
• South Australia 
• Tasmania  

Encourage safe and respectful shopping with the ARA's new Covid-19 poster range

The Australian Retailers Association has developed a series of printable posters in response to the ongoing Covid-19 situation across the country, to promote a safe shopping environment for both customers and staff. Click here for more information.

Federal Updates

JobSaver changes 

Eligibility for JobSaver payments has also been extended for businesses in the hospitality, tourism and recreation sectors with an annual turnover up to $1 billion, increased from $250 million. More information. 

No Fault COVID-19 Indemnity Scheme

The ARA welcomes the Morrison Government finalising the details of the no fault COVID-19 Vaccine Claim Scheme – a measure we have strongly advocated for.  

The COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Scheme will be backdated to February 2021 and provide Australians with an alternative, administrative option to seek compensation, rather than a complex and costly court process.

The Scheme will provide Australians with quick access to compensation for COVID-19 claims related to the administration of a Therapeutic Goods Administration approved COVID-19 vaccine delivered through a Commonwealth Government approved program.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme offers protection to Australians receiving a TGA approved COVID-19 vaccine, irrespective of where that vaccination occurs.

“Side effects, or adverse events, from COVID-19 vaccinations can occur, but most are mild and last no longer than a couple of days. Serious and life-threatening side effects are very rare, but it is important that we provide a safety net to support those affected,” Minister Hunt said.

“It also ensure that health professionals administering vaccines will be able to continue with their crucial role in the vaccine roll out with assurance that the claims scheme will offer them protection.”

The Scheme will be administered by Services Australia and will provide Australians with a single front door to a simple and quick administrative process for compensation. The TGA will provide guidance on recognised adverse reactions as part of their established surveillance program.

From 6 September Australians who suffer injury and loss of income due to their COVID-19 vaccine will be able to register their intent to claim at www.health.gov.au/COVID-19-vaccination-claim-scheme.

The Scheme will cover the costs of injuries above $5,000 due to a proven adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccination. Claims will be assessed by independent experts, and compensation paid based on the recommendations.

The cost of compensation payments under this Scheme will be fully funded by the Commonwealth and is designed to help the small number of people who unfortunately experience a moderate to significant adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.

The introduction of the scheme follows extensive consultation with the peak medical, healthcare, business and insurance sectors to ensure a comprehensive National Scheme.

Authorised by Greg Hunt MP, Liberal Party of Australia, Somerville, Victoria.

Australians who receive a COVID-19 vaccination and have an adverse event are encouraged to report it to their doctor who can provide the information to the TGA to ensure such events are included in its reporting.

New South Wales

Restrictions in local government areas of concern will start to align with other lockdown areas, as vaccination rates continue to rise in Sydney’s West and South-West. 

From 12.01am Monday, 20 September, the following restrictions will ease for those who live in LGAs of concern:

• No limit on the duration of outdoor exercise and recreation (previously a two-hour limit);
• Outdoor gatherings of up to five fully vaccinated people (not including children aged 12 and under) will be allowed in a person’s LGA or within 5km of home (previously only fully vaccinated household members could gather outdoors, or up to two fully vaccinated people from different households);
• Shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation can be done 5km from home or within your LGA (previously only 5km from home);
• Attend a small wedding (maximum 11 people) in Greater Sydney as a guest (previously only allowed in their LGA); and
• A person’s single’s bubble buddy can live in Greater Sydney (previously must have resided within 5km of a person’s home). A person from a LGA of concern can also now be a buddy for someone in Greater Sydney.

Nearly all restrictions in the LGAs of concern are now aligned with other lockdown areas, with the main differences being authorised worker conditions and travel permit requirements which remain in place in the LGAs of concern. 

From 12.01am Monday, 27 September outdoor pools across NSW will be able to open, provided councils have a stringent COVID safety plan approved by NSW Health. Natural pools are already permitted to be open.

Stay-at-home orders will be lifted for Bega, Blayney, Bogan, Cabonne, Dungog, Forbes, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Parkes, Singleton, Snowy Monaro and Upper Hunter LGAs from 1pm Thursday 16 September

The following freedoms are available to all people in regional LGAs where stay-at-home orders have been lifted:

Gatherings in the home and public spaces:

• Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under).
• Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings. 

Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:

• Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
• Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4sqm rule.
• Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4sqm, capped at five clients per premises. 
• Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people. 
• Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.

Schools:

• Schools will re-open with Level 3 COVIDSafe measures in place.

Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:

• Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4sqm, capped at 5,000 people. 
• Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.
• Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity. 

Weddings, funerals and places of worship: 

• Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
• Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
• Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing. 

Travel: 

• Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.
• Carpooling will be permitted.

Masks:

• Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports. 
• Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.
• Children aged under 12 will not need to wear a mask indoors. 

Lockdowns reimposed in Albury and Lismore LGAs from 6pm today, Thursday 16 September

The NSW Government will reimposed stay-at-home orders for the Albury and Lismore LGA for seven days, in line with previous restriction levels.

The restrictions follow the regional and rural affected areas settings where stay at home rules are in place, with the Albury and Lismore LGAs to remain in lockdown as of 6pm today until 6pm, Thursday 23 September.

The order applies to all people who live in or have been Lismore since September 7, and all people who live in or have been in Albury since September 10.

Everyone in these areas must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.

The reasons you may leave your home include:

• Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
• Medical care or compassionate needs (people can leave home to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless you have been identified as a close contact);
• If you are fully vaccinated, you can attend an outdoor gathering of up to five people for exercise or outdoor recreation so long as all those at the gathering aged 16 years or over are fully vaccinated. 
• Work, or tertiary education, where you cannot work or study from home;

Business restrictions

Most retail premises in the local government areas where the stay-at-home rules apply must close to the public.

Businesses that can be open

Businesses providing essential products and services that can be open include:

• Supermarkets
• grocery stores including:
  • butchers, bakeries, fruit and vegetable, seafood
  • other food or drink retailers that predominantly sell or display food or drinks
• kiosks and other small food and drink premises
• petrol stations
• banks and financial institutions
• hardware, building supplies
• landscaping material supplies
• agricultural and rural supplies
• auction houses for the auctioning of food supply, livestock, fibre or crops
• shops that, in the normal course of business, operate as or sell and display:
  • pet supplies
  • newsagents
  • office supplies
  • chemists providing health, medical, maternity and baby supplies or
  • liquor stores
• post offices
• garden centres and plant nurseries
• vehicle hire premises, not including the premises at which vehicles are sold;
• shops that predominantly carry out repairs of mobile phones
• laundromats and drycleaners.

Click and collect and home delivery

Businesses may continue to operate if they provide goods and services to customers that are:

• ordered by phone or internet
• delivered to customers
• collected by customers.

A 'click and collect' service can also be used by customers to return or exchange goods by prior arrangement either by phone or internet.

Businesses may continue to operate if they provide goods and services to customers and follow the requirements for:

• wearing of face masks
• check-in requirements (for example, using QR codes).

Food and drink premises

Food and drink premises must close to the public, except for:

• selling food or beverages for people to consume off-site
• selling food to be consumed in a person’s room if in a hotel or motel
• if the premises are part of a shopping centre, selling food or beverages for people to consume outside of the shopping centre

For more information about restrictions in regional NSW, please visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/affected-regions

Curfew in the 12 LGAs of concern will end tonight

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that the curfew settings in the LGAs of concern in NSW would end from tonight.

The twelve LGAs include:

• Bayside
• Blacktown
• Burwood
• Campbelltown
• Canterbury-Bankstown
• Cumberland
• Fairfield
• Georges River
• Liverpool
• Parramatta
• Strathfield
• Parts of Penrith, including Caddens, Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair and St Marys.

All other rules for the 12 LGAs of concern remain at this time, including the reasonable excuses to leave home, authorised workers, and mandatory mask wearing.

The New South Wales Government has outlined its roadmap out of current lockdowns once 70 per cent of the state has received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine

Stay-at-home orders for adults who have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will be lifted from the Monday after NSW passes the 70 per cent double vaccination target.

The roadmap is subject to further fine-tuning and health advice if circumstances change drastically or if cases within a designated area remain too high.

Only fully vaccinated people and those with medical exemptions will have access to freedoms allowed under the Reopening NSW roadmap.

Once the state hits the 70 per cent double dose target, the government is planning to ease restrictions including:

Gatherings in the home and public spaces:

• Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home where all adults are vaccinated (not including children 12 and under).
• Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings.

Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:

• Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
• Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4sqm rule (unvaccinated people will continue to only be able to access critical retail).
• Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4sqm, capped at five clients per premises.
• Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.
• Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.

Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:

• Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4sqm, capped at 5,000 people.
• Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.
• Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.

Weddings, funerals and places of worship:

• Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
• Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
• Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing.

Travel:

• Domestic travel, including trips to regional NSW, will be permitted.
• Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.
• Carpooling will be permitted.

Non-vaccinated young people aged under 16 will be able to access all outdoor settings but will only be able to visit indoor venues with members of their household.

Employers must continue to allow employees to work from home if the employee is able to do so.

There will be revised guidance on isolation for close and casual contacts who are fully vaccinated, with details to be provided closer to the reopening date.

Masks:

• Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.
• Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.
• Children aged under 12 will not need to wear a mask indoors.

Stay at home order for Yass Valley Council

Lockdowns to end for parts of regional NSW

Parts of Regional NSW currently deemed low risk and which have seen zero COVID cases for at least 14 days will emerge from lockdown at 12.01am Saturday 11 September, but will continue to operate under some level of restrictions.

Local Government Areas (LGAs) still seeing COVID case numbers will continue to follow stay-at-home orders and will be monitored by NSW Health with updates provided as circumstances develop.

The following restrictions will be eased for all people in regional LGAs where stay-at-home orders have lifted:

Gatherings in the home and public spaces:

• Up to five visitors will be allowed in a home (not including children 12 and under).
• Up to 20 people can gather in outdoor settings.

Venues including hospitality, retail stores and gyms:

• Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
• Retail stores can reopen under the one person per 4sqm rule
• Personal services such as hairdressers and nail salons can open with one person per 4sqm, capped at five clients per premises.
• Gyms and indoor recreation facilities can open under the one person per 4sqm rule and can offer classes for up to 20 people.
• Sporting facilities including swimming pools can reopen.

Schools

• Schools will re-open with Level 3 COVIDSafe measures in place.

Stadiums, theatres and major outdoor recreation facilities:

• Major recreation outdoor facilities including stadiums, racecourses, theme parks and zoos can reopen with one person per 4sqm, capped at 5,000 people.
• Up to 500 people can attend ticketed and seated outdoor events.
• Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.

Weddings, funerals and places of worship:

• Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
• Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
• Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing.

Travel:

• Caravan parks and camping grounds can open.
• Carpooling will be permitted.

Masks:

• Masks will remain mandatory for all indoor public venues, including public transport, front-of-house hospitality, retail and business premises, on planes and at airports.
• Only hospitality staff will be required to wear a mask when outdoors.
• Children aged under 12 will not need to wear a mask indoors.

Stay-at-home orders will remain in place in the following LGAs:

• Bathurst
• Bega
• Blayne
• Bogan
• Bourke
• Brewarrina
• Broken Hill
• Cabonne
• Central Coast
• Central Darling
• Cessnock
• Dubbo
• Dungog
• Eurobodalla
• Forbes
• Gilgandra
• Goulburn Mulwarre
• Kiama
• Lake Macquarie
• Lithgow
• Maitland
• Mid-Coast
• Mid-Western
• Muswellbrook
• Narrabri
• Narromine
• Newcastle
• Orange
• Parkes
• Port Stephens
• Queanbeyan-Palerang
• Shellharbour
• Shoalhaven
• Singleton
• Snowy Monaro
• Upper Hunter
• Walgett
• Wingeecarribee

NSW Health has announced changes in requirements for vaccination of authorised workers and the use of rapid antigen testing in the workplace

Following strong ARA advocacy, NSW Health has announced changes in requirements for vaccination of authorised workers and the use of rapid antigen testing in the workplace.

In order to work outside their area of concern, authorised workers must now have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Monday 6 September.

Authorised workers under the age of 16 years will be exempt from the requirement to be vaccinated.

A relevant care worker 16 years and over whose place of residence or place of work is in an area of concern must also have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Monday 6 September in order to attend work. This includes those who work in an early education and care facility or who provide disability support services.

Rapid antigen testing will no longer be an alternative to vaccination.

NSW Health has made a commitment to provide advice to industry on the important role rapid antigen testing can play to protect workers and prevent disease transmission, and give guidance on the types of workplaces that may benefit from such testing and inform COVID-19 Workplace Checklists and safety work plans.

These are all amendments to the Public Health (COVID-19 Additional Restrictions for Delta Outbreak) Order (No 2) Amendment Order 2021.

Vaccination is highly encouraged and workers from the LGAs of concern are offered priority bookings for vaccination. In line with the amended public health order, if an authorised worker is not vaccinated or does not have a medical contraindication form, they will not be able to work outside their LGA.

Please use the following links for priority bookings:

Authorised workers who live in LGAs of concern
Anyone aged 16-39 who live in LGAs of concern
Childcare, disability, and food workers who live or work in LGAs of concern

Please refer to the media release below and this link for more information.

NSW HEALTH MEDIA RELEASE

Priority Pfizer vaccination appointments are available for all authorised workers aged over 16 living in local government areas of concern

This includes all authorised workers aged 16 and over from the following LGAs:

• Bayside 
• Blacktown
• Burwood 
• Campbelltown
• Canterbury-Bankstown
• Cumberland
• Fairfield
• Georges River
• Liverpool
• Parramatta
• Penrith
• Strathfield

For retail trade, an authorised worker includes:

• a person employed or engaged to work for a retail premises specified in clause 24(1A) of the Order:
  • office supplies
  • pet supplies
  • newspapers, magazines and stationery
  • alcohol
  • maternity and baby supplies
  • medical or pharmaceutical supplies
• supermarkets and neighbourhood shops
• shops that predominantly sell food or drinks
• chemists and pharmacies
• kiosks
• shops that predominately sell any of the following in the course of their normal operations
• food and drink premises, but only as permitted under clause 24(1)(b) of the Order
• cellar door premises, but only as permitted under clause 24(1)(e) of the Order
• hardware and building supplies
• landscaping material supplies
• rural supplies
• timber yards
• garden centres and plant nurseries
• vehicle hire premises, not including the premises at which vehicles are sold
• industrial or commercial food retailing
• fuel retailing

and

Administrative and support services

• "click and collect" services

The Greater Sydney lockdown will be extended until the end of September, new rules will apply to LGAs of concern, and masks requirements will remain state-wide from August 30

All of Greater Sydney will be going into an extended lockdown until the end of September, though this will not include the Shellharbour and Central Coast areas, which will be classified as regional areas.

Regional NSW will remain in current lockdown settings as planned, with no further update to current restrictions which will apply at least until 12.01am Saturday 28 August 2021 except for mask requirements below.

Mask wearing requirements

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, an additional mask requirement will be introduced for Greater Sydney until the end of September. This rule will also apply in Regional NSW until 28 August: Mask wearing will be mandatory when outside your home, except when exercising.

Additional rules for the LGAs of concern:

LGAs of concern include: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith.

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, the following additional rules will apply for residents and businesses in the LGAs of concern:

• Curfews will be introduced from 9pm to 5am (except for authorised workers, emergencies or medical care);
• Outdoor exercise is limited to one hour per day;
• The following retail premises must close except for click and collect (tradespeople are allowed to shop in-store where relevant):
  • Garden centres and plant nurseries
  • Office supplies
  • Hardware and building supplies
  • Landscaping material supplies
  • Rural supplies
  • Pet supplies

The following new restrictions around workplaces and authorised workers from the LGAs of concern will be introduced:

• Authorised workers who work outside their LGA of concern are only permitted to work if rapid antigen testing is implemented at their work-site or they have had their first vaccination dose by 30 August;
• From Saturday 28 August, authorised workers from the LGAs of concern are required to carry a permit from Service NSW declaring that they are an authorised worker and cannot work from home;
• From Saturday 28 August, anyone entering an LGA of concern for the purposes of work must carry a worker permit issued by Service NSW
• Permits are expected to be available by midnight tonight

Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Fairfield LGAs

From 12.01am Monday, 23 August, workers from the Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland and Fairfield LGAs will no longer have to have been tested for COVID-19 in the previous 72 hours to work outside their LGA.

Click and collect will be expanded to include office supplies, garden supplies, and other essential retail services.

Permits for travel to regional NSW

​A permit system for some travel between Greater Sydney and regional NSW will take effect from 12.01am on Saturday 21 August.

Under the updated public health order, the following people traveling from Greater Sydney to regional NSW require a permit:

• anyone from Greater Sydney (including authorised workers from the LGAs of concern) who needs to travel more than 50km from Greater Sydney for work purposes, noting the existing requirement for such workers to have had a COVID test in the previous seven days
• people travelling to a second home outside Greater Sydney. This is now only allowed if you are using the home for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance and repairs (if so, only one person may travel there)
• people inspecting a potential new residence, but only if they have a genuine intention to relocate as soon as practicable (no investment properties)
• people who are permanently relocating.

For the purposes of this public health order and permit, Greater Sydney will no longer include Shellharbour and the Central Coast. People travelling to Shellharbour and the Central Coast for the above reasons will require a permit to do so.

Permit applications will be made available on the Service NSW website.

More information will be available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

Expanded Pfizer vaccine availability in 12 NSW LGAs for 16-39yos

There is booking availability for a Pfizer vaccination blitz for 16-39 year olds in the 12 LGAs of concern. Bookings can be made at Qudos Bank Arena for the next two weeks.

The booking link for the Pfizer vaccination blitz for 16-39 yr olds in the 12 LGAs requires nothing other than for people to be in that age group and to live in one of the LGAs. This will make things far simpler for all concerned.

The NSW Government hash very large centres centrally located which will be vaccinating hundreds of thousands of people in the next few weeks. This is the most efficient way to quickly achieve maximum population coverage.

Workers in your businesses can make a booking as a matter of urgency at the following link:
Priority COVID-19 vaccination booking for 16 to 39 year-olds | NSW Government

Authorised worker restrictions for affected LGAs

The NSW Government has put new restrictions in place for a number of Local Government Areas (LGAs). This means residents cannot leave the LGA that you live in for work unless they are an authorised worker.

If you leave your local government area for work an authorised worker, you need to have a COVID-19 test when required by the rules for testing.

Changes to surveillance testing (enforceable from Saturday, 31 July):

• All authorised workers from Canterbury-Bankstown LGA must get tested once every three days in order to leave their LGA for work.
• People who live in the Fairfield and Cumberland LGAs but work outside these areas as health or aged care workers (including support services for health or aged care, such as cleaners, cooks and security providers) must be tested once every three days in order to be allowed to go to work outside their LGA.
• These surveillance testing requirements will be enforceable from Saturday, 31 July. However, relevant workers will have from today to get their first test.

You can leave home to go to work in the same LGA you live in if:

• the business is allowed to be open
• you cannot work from home.

This affects the expanded list of LGAs which includes:

• Fairfield
• Cumberland
• Liverpool
• Canterbury-Bankstown
• Blacktown
• Parramatta
• Georges River
• Campbelltown
• Bayside
• Burwood
• Strathfield
• Parts of of Penrith 

Find out more about the rules for Western Sydney.

For details on restrictions for affected LGAs, visit the NSW Government website:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/greater-sydney

NSW Government Media Release 

This NSW Government Gazette in the link below provides the list of premises which must close during this restriction period including: hairdressers, spas, nail salons, beauty salons, tanning salons, and restaurants, cafes, clubs and pubs for onsite consumption. 

More information: COVID-19 rules | NSW Government 

Queensland

Queensland restrictions to ease at 4pm, Friday 27 August 

The Queensland Government will ease restrictions for the 11 LGAs in South-East Queensland as planned from 4pm today, Friday 27 August.

From 4pm, restrictions will ease in the local government areas of Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Lockyer, Somerset, Logan, Redland, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa and Scenic Rim.

They include allowing:

• Up to 100 people in homes; no limit for people gathering in public spaces
• Indoor funerals and wedding ceremonies: one person per 2sqm or 200 people or 100% allocated seated (whichever is greater) with dancing permitted
• No restrictions to community sport
• 100 per cent capacity for ticketed venues with allocated seating, with masks required

Mask requirements will continue to apply in indoor settings – places like shopping centres, supermarkets, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants (when not eating or drinking) – and if you are outside and unable to physically distance.

Business requirements

• Indoor businesses and premises: A one person per 2sqm rule will apply, or 100% allocated seated and ticketed capacity, for indoor businesses with a COVID Safe Checklist
• No restrictions on self-service food

Mask requirements will continue to apply going into cafes and restaurants, which will be reviewed every two weeks.

Further details will be available at the Queensland Government COVID-19 Website.

QLD Border Restrictions Direction, effective from 12.20pm AEST 12 August 2021​

The purpose of this Direction is to slow the spread of COVID-19 through border restrictions.

The Direction has been updated so that:

• You must complete a Queensland entry pass to enter Queensland from anywhere in Australia or New Zealand, including returning Queensland residents.
• you must complete the Queensland entry pass in the 3 days before you travel to Queensland. It takes a few minutes to complete and your declaration will be sent to your email.
• You will be asked where you have been in the past 14 days. You must list all states and territories you have visited, even if your visit was brief or you travelled through an area.
• If conditions change or you need to update your travel details, you’ll need to complete a new declaration with updated details before you enter Queensland.

This Direction replaces the Border Restrictions Direction (No. 32) made on 8 August 2021. Read more

Check In Qld app

Download the free Check In Qld app for your business to collect customer and staff information.

From 1am, Friday 9 July 2021, more businesses must use the Check In Qld app to collect customer and staff information. See a full list of businesses who must use the app.

It is also now mandatory for food businesses, including food courts, to collect details of takeaway customers using the app.

Your business may need to follow restrictions to help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). These businesses are called 'restricted businesses'.

Find a list of restricted businesses (schedule 1 of the businesses, activities and undertakings direction).

All restricted businesses can open but must follow a COVID Safe checklist.

Learn more about current business restrictions.

This page includes information for businesses on:

• current restrictions
• collecting customer information
• customer limits
• definitions
• COVID Safe business planning.

More information: Restrictions in Queensland | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)

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Western Australia

Lockdown restrictions have been lifted, with some measures remaining in place

There are no longer any capacity restrictions for venues and events.  

Businesses must continue to maintain a COVID Safety Plan and maintain a contact register. 

The SafeWA app must be displayed in all retail settings, such as hospitality (including takeaway), supermarkets, department stores, and beauty, hair and personal care services. 

Full overview of easing of restrictions can be found here.

More information: Covid-19 Coronavirus latest updates 

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Northern Territory

Eased restrictions for Katherine apply from 12pm Friday 20 August, in line with restrictions in Darwin and Palmerston

Lockdowns will be eased in Katherine, including Tindal, with some restrictions to apply for a further seven days as per Darwin and Palmerston.

Restrictions will be in place until 12pm on 26 August 2021 for high-risk activities to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in our community. This date has been chosen as it represents one replication cycle, or 14 days from the first positive case in the Territory.

All businesses and places where customers and clients visit need to use a check-in system, like The Territory Check-In App. Pen and paper will still be permitted. You are required to check in everywhere you go, no matter how long you spend at that location.

From 12pm today there will be no restrictions on the reasons to leave home if you live in Katherine but staying COVIDSafe remains important.

Businesses

• All businesses and places where customers and clients visit must use the Territory Check-In App and be able to comply with physical distancing and mask wearing requirements.
• Hospitality venues are open for seated service only. Patrons will be required to wear a mask when they go to the bar to order but this can be removed when seated and eating and drinking.

Travel

Travel is permitted outside of Greater Darwin - a mask must be worn when you cannot maintain a physical distance of 1.5m.

Face masks

• Face masks must be worn in public when you cannot maintain a physical distance of 1.5m.
• Wear a mask at places like the supermarket, shopping centre, the hairdresser and beauty salons. Wear a mask when out for dinner but it can be removed when seated and eating and drinking.
• Masks are not required at work where physical distancing of 1.5m can be applied.
• Workers who come into close contact with patrons, or who work in environments where physical distancing of 1.5m cannot be applied will need to wear a mask. This includes people who work in retail, hospitality, the beauty sector and customer service industries.
• Masks must be worn on public transport, taxis and ride-share services

NT Business Support

Following the declaration of Greater Darwin and Katherine as hotspots, additional financial support will be available to businesses and organisations reliant on interstate and international visitors.

A $9 million Visitation Reliant Support Program will be available for tourism and hospitality businesses reliant on international and interstate visitation.

Under the co-funded scheme, employing businesses will receive a $3,000 payment, while sole traders will receive a $1,000 payment. Eligible businesses must have an annual turnover of less than $10 million, and will need to demonstrate a 30 per cent decrease in turnover as a result of the lockdown – particularly relating to visitation.

A $1.3 million Tourism Survival Fund will be available for touring, professional conference organisers, exhibition build companies and eligible attractions, providing highly targeted support to those operators most impacted by the lack of international visitors and who have not benefitted from tourism vouchers.

Under the co-funded scheme, businesses will be able to access payments between $5,000 and $30,000 depending on their annual turnover which must be less than $10 million. Eligible businesses must be able to demonstrate a 30 per cent decrease in turnover, compared to the same period in 2019, as a result of the lockdown.

These funding packages follow the re-opening of the NT Government’s Territory Small Business Lockdown Payment, which has been extended for a second week to businesses with venues which must remain closed until restrictions lift.

Together the total package of support is more than $12.5 million and will be split on a 50/50 basis.

For more information, and to apply for the new package, please visit: https://businessrecovery.nt.gov.au/

Greater Darwin and Palmerston 

Lockdowns will be eased in Greater Darwin and Palmerston, with some restrictions to apply for a further seven days. 

Restrictions will be in place until 12pm on 26 August 2021 for high-risk activities to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in our community. This date has been chosen as it represents one replication cycle, or 14 days from the first positive case in the Territory. 

All businesses and places where customers and clients visit need to use a check-in system, like The Territory Check-In App. Pen and paper will still be permitted. You are required to check in everywhere you go, no matter how long you spend at that location. 

From 12pm today there will be no restrictions on the reasons to leave home if you live in Greater Darwin but staying COVIDSafe remains important. 

Businesses 

• All businesses and places where customers and clients visit must use the Territory Check-In App and be able to comply with physical distancing and mask wearing requirements. 
• Hospitality venues are open for seated service only. Patrons will be required to wear a mask when they go to the bar to order but this can be removed when seated and eating and drinking. 

Travel 

Travel is permitted outside of Greater Darwin - a mask must be worn when you cannot maintain a physical distance of 1.5m. 

Face masks 

• Face masks must be worn in public when you cannot maintain a physical distance of 1.5m. 
• Wear a mask at places like the supermarket, shopping centre, the hairdresser and beauty salons.  Wear a mask when out for dinner but it can be removed when seated and eating and drinking. 
• Masks are not required at work where physical distancing of 1.5m can be applied. 
• Workers who come into close contact with patrons, or who work in environments where physical distancing of 1.5m cannot be applied will need to wear a mask. This includes people who work in retail, hospitality, the beauty sector and customer service industries. 
• Masks must be worn on public transport, taxis and ride-share services 

The NT COVID-19 hotline can also be contacted on 1800 193 111.  

More information and updates will be available at the NT Government website: https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/

NT Small Business Support

The NT Government will reintroduce the $1000 Territory Small Business Lockdown Payment to assist businesses impacted by recent COVID-19 restrictions.

The payment is a one-off payment of $1000, designed to support small businesses that have either ceased trading or suffered a revenue loss of 50% or greater during the lockdown. Eligible small businesses must have a turnover of less than $10 million and less than 20 full-time equivalent staff.

For more information and application details will be made available at the Business Recovery NT website.

The NT Government is working through additional business support with the Commonwealth, with further information to be announced later this week.

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Australian Capital Territory

ACT lockdown extended a further four weeks 

The ACT Government has extended its lockdown a further four weeks, until 11.59pm Friday 15 October. 

There will be some minor amendments to the current level of restrictions. These amendments will come into effect from 11.59pm this Friday, 17 September: 

• Small businesses who are currently permitted to operate a click and collect or click and deliver service can have up to 5 people in the business at any one time, or one person per four square metres (whichever is lesser) 
  - This is an increase from 2 people 
  - Activities must accord with COVID-19 Requirements for Click and Collect Services for non-essential retailers 

• Social and recreational sport will be allowed to go ahead with up to 5 people permitted to gather together 
• A phased return to face-to-face learning will recommence: 
  - From 4 October: Year 12 students can return (if the situation does not deteriorate) 
  - From 18 October: Year 11 students can return (if the situation does not deteriorate) 

For more information about restrictions in the ACT, please visit: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/act-status-and-response/lockdown  

Commercial Tenancy Relief

Following ARA advocacy around rental relief in all states and territories, the ACT Government is reinstating measures which require commercial landlords to engage in good faith negotiations with local business tenants hardest hit by COVID-19 during the current ACT lockdown.

The new temporary commercial leases declaration will prevent commercial landlords from taking prescribed actions against tenants impacted by COVID-19 such as terminating their lease without first discussing lease arrangements. The declaration will apply from 12 August 2021 when the ACT was placed into lockdown.

Commercial landlords who offer rent relief may be eligible for a commercial rates credit of up to $5,000. A credit is also available for owner-operators who meet the eligibility criteria. 

The COVID-19 Local Business Commissioner has been re-instated to connect businesses with information about the declaration, financial assistance and mental health support. The ACT Government will also fund professional mediation services to facilitate good faith negotiations between landlords and tenants.

In addition to these initiatives, the ACT Government will waive rent payments for the month of September for any business and community sector tenants of government-owned properties that have been affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Tenants who have experienced a 30 per cent reduction in turnover in August will be eligible for a full waiver of their September rent payments.

The ACT Government has further extended its lockdown until 5pm, Friday 17 September

There will be some amendments to restrictions, including for lower risk outdoor activities. 

These amendments will come into effect from 5:00pm this Thursday (2 September), and include: 

• one household (any size) or up to 5 people can gather outdoors for up to 2 hours for exercise or non-organised recreation. 
• outdoor playgrounds will reopen where people can maintain physical distancing. Enclosed playgrounds will need to apply the one person per four square metre rule. 
• the number of people able to attend a funeral increased to no more than 20 people (excluding the people necessary to conduct the funeral). 
• the number of people able to attend a wedding increased to no more than 10 attendees (excluding the celebrant, but including persons being married and two witnesses). 
• other religious ceremonies which are time critical are permitted to go ahead with no more than 10 people (excluding those conducting the service). 

• the recommencement of services that operate outdoors and where physical distancing can be maintained, such as outdoor maintenance and gardening and dog grooming services. 
• ACT schools will continue with remote learning for the rest of Term 3. All ACT public schools and Early Childhood Education and Care services, including out of school hours care, will remain open for children of parents and carers who cannot work from home and vulnerable children. 

Restrictions for retail businesses remain unchanged. 

For more information about restrictions in the ACT, please visit: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/act-status-and-response/lockdown#ACT-lockdown-extended  

Increased support for ACT businesses impacted by COVID-19 

The Commonwealth and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Governments have worked together to expand the COVID-19 Business Support Grants with the extension of the ACT lockdown to 17 September.  

Reflecting the extension of the lockdown, the one-off ACT COVID-19 Business Support Grants will be increased by $10,000 for employing businesses and $3,500 for non-employing businesses where those businesses' turnover has declined by 30 per cent or more as a result of the COVID-19 health restrictions.  

Businesses must be able to demonstrate their primary operation in the ACT, have an annual turnover of more than $75,000, be registered for GST and have a total payroll of less than $10 million. They will also need to provide evidence of a 30 per cent reduction in their turnover.  

The package will be split on a 50/50 basis between the Commonwealth and the ACT Governments, with the Territory government to administer the program. This is a similar arrangement that has been in place for businesses in other jurisdictions impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns.  

This increases the payments that were originally agreed under the COVID-19 Business Support Grants.  

Anyone who has made an application does not need to make a new application – the new payments will be automatically applied if you are eligible. First payments are likely to be made in the coming days.  

Businesses can find further information and apply for the grants here. This information is being updated through the day to account for the increased grant payment size. 

Update to ACT lockdown business restrictions 

The ACT Government has announced some refinements to business restrictions in the Public Health Direction for the period of the ACT lockdown.

These adjustments will come into effect as at 11.59pm tonight, Friday 27 August. These changes will make it simpler for businesses to manage and conduct their business safely during the lockdown.

Essential retail businesses

To provide further safety to employees of essential retail services, the following essential businesses will be required to operate through a click and collect service or click and deliver, with only the minimum number of employees necessary to be present on site to fulfil the services:

• Hardware and building supplies
• Agricultural and rural supplies
• Pet stores
• Businesses that predominately sell essential office supplies.

Tradespeople will be able to continue to enter hardware and building supply stores.

The above-mentioned essential retail businesses will also be required to develop a COVID Safety Plan and have this plan in place by Friday 3 September 2021. Developing and following a COVID Safety Plan will be an important step in keeping your staff and patrons safe as we continue to manage the impacts of COVID-19 on our community.

Non-essential retail businesses

The refinements will allow non-essential small and local retail businesses to operate a click and collect or click and deliver service, with no more than two people permitted to be present at the business at any one time.

The definition of a small and local retail business is one that, at 12 August 2021, had 20 or fewer full time equivalent staff working for the business. This includes the owner or operator. Any casual or part time employees are taken into account as a fraction of a full time equivalent

Mask requirements will continue to apply going into cafes and restaurants, which will be reviewed every two weeks.

All other non-essential businesses

The refinements will enable all other ACT businesses, which have not been permitted to operate under the current Direction, to have up to two people enter the business premises for the following reasons:

• for essential maintenance work or other work to ensure the safety of the premises
• as required or authorised by law
• for emergency purposes, for example, operating critical systems such as alarms, monitoring, cold storage, and utilities
• to accept deliveries that cannot reasonably be delayed or diverted to another premises, or
• to provide an urgent and essential service for the administration of the business, which cannot be undertaken at home, for example, administering payroll.

Further information on permitted activities and which businesses can operate during the lockdown is available on the ACT COVID-19 website.

Financial Support for ACT Businesses

The ACT Government will provide support for small businesses in the ACT facing a significant loss in revenue due to the current lockdown in the ACT. 

The ACT COVID-19 Business Support Grants will deliver support of up to $10,000 for employing businesses and up to $4,000 for non-employing businesses over the three-week lockdown period where those businesses' turnover has declined by 30 per cent or more as a result of the COVID-19 public health measures. This program is jointly funded by the ACT and Australian Governments. 

COVID-19 Small Business Hardship Scheme 

Eligible small businesses will soon be able to apply to the ACT Government to receive credits for payroll tax, utility charges, rates and other selected fees and charges up to a maximum of $10,000 per operator.

To be eligible for credits the applicant must be able to demonstrate 30 per cent loss in revenue. This scheme is for small businesses with a turnover between $30,000 and $10 million per annum. 

Businesses must satisfy the below criteria: 

• Have a valid and active ABN and be registered for GST on or before April 2021, and be able to demonstrate primary operation in the ACT as at 1 April 2021; 
• Have an annual turnover of more than $75,000 (exc. GST) in either of 2019-20 or 2020-21; 
• Only for employing businesses applying for a $10,000 grant: 
• Employ people in the ACT; and 
• Total annual Australian wages of less than $10 million in 2019-20. 

Small businesses can apply for up to $10,000 of support in the form of credit. 

• Payroll tax 
• Utilities 
• Rates 
• A range of business licence fees and charges. 

Applications are open via an online form. Applications will close at 5pm, 7 October 2021. 

More information is available at: 

• Guidelines for Employing Businesses
• Guidelines for Non-Employing Businesses 

If you need assistance or have a question, please call the Access Canberra Business Liaison Line on 6205 0900, 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. 

For more information and to apply, please visit: https://www.act.gov.au/business/business-support/covid-19-economic-support-for-business 

The ACT has extended its lockdown for a further two weeks until 5pm, 2 September

Existing lockdown measures apply with ACT residents asked to only leave their homes for essential reasons – essential employment, healthcare (including a COVID-19 vaccination), essential groceries and supplies, and up to one hour of outdoor exercise.

General retail remains closed, and hospitality venues will only be able to operate takeaway services.

Mandatory mask wearing will also continue in all settings outside the home, unless undertaking rigorous exercise or for medical reasons.

Work: If you can work from home, you must work from home. Essential Workers and workplaces are defined under the essential providers list.

More details about reasons to leave home are available here: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/act-status-and-response/lockdown/reasons-why-you-can-leave-home

ACT Small and Medium Business Support

A jointly funded package from the Commonwealth and the ACT Governments will give support to small and medium businesses in the ACT who have been impacted by the lockdown measures.

The ACT COVID-19 Business Support Grant will provide $3,000 for employing businesses and $1,000 for non-employing businesses where turnover has declined by 30% or more in the week defined as Friday 13 August - Friday 20 August 2021 (compared to the prior 7-day period) as a result of the COVID-19 health restrictions.  

The ACT Government will also open a COVID-19 Small Business Hardship Scheme, where eligible ACT businesses can apply for credits on the cost of eligible fees and charges of up to $10,000 (inclusive of GST) per ABN. This scheme will provide credits for payroll tax, utilities, rates and certain business licences for small to medium businesses that can demonstrate a 30 per cent revenue loss in revenue.

Details of these schemes are being finalised. Businesses can express interest in the schemes via the Business Hub website.

The ACT Government has clarified the operation of click and collect for ACT non-essential retail.

Unfortunately, the ACT Government's current position is that click and collect is not permitted for non-essential retail, as outlined in their advice below. However, the ARA will continue to advocate for this to change.

ACT Government advice

Click and Collect for non-essential retail is not permitted under the Public Health Direction currently in force in the ACT. This is because the aim of the lockdown is to restrict the movement of people as much as possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

As more is known about the outbreak in the ACT, it may be possible to revisit the settings relating to Click and Collect for non-essential retail.

The ACT Government is finalising the support it will provide to businesses impacted by the COVID restrictions and further information will be available tomorrow morning.

The ACT will enter a seven day lockdown from 5pm 12 August

ACT residents are asked to only leave their homes for essential reasons – essential employment, healthcare (including a COVID-19 vaccination), essential groceries and supplies, and up to one hour of outdoor exercise. 

General retail will be closed, and hospitality venues will only be able to operate takeaway services. We will be asking any businesses that has to remain open to actively prevent any browsing in their stores. 

Mandatory mask wearing will also be reintroduced. 

Further information will be made available at: https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/home  

More information: Home - COVID-19 (act.gov.au) 

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Victoria

The Premier of Victoria, Dan Andrews has today announced Victoria’s roadmap to deliver the National Plan. A summary of the relevant sections is included below with full details outlined at the link below.

Read full media statement here

Metropolitan Melbourne

The following settings will apply for Metropolitan Melbourne assuming the vaccination targets are met. Please note: All proposed easings from 80% fully vaccinated (indicatively 5 November) are dependent on the ability for venues and employers to confirm vaccination status of patrons and employees, respectively.  

From 26 September

Essential retail is open, DQ 1 person per 4sqm 
 

Other/general retail  

• Closed (contactless click and collect/delivery only). 

Hospitality Food and drink facility

• Open for take-away only, masks cannot be removed to consume food and drinks in shopping centres.

From 26 October 

Hairdressing, beauty, personal care  

• Indoors DQ4 and 5 patron cap (fully vaccinated)  

Other/general retail 

• Open for outdoor service only (plus contactless click and collect/delivery). 

Food and drink facility  

• Seated service only
• Fully vaccinated: Outdoor only, DQ4, 50 cap 

From 5 November

All retail is open with DQ4 

 
Hairdressing, beauty, personal care

• Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 150 cap 

Food and drink facility

• Open for seated service only.
• Small venues: up to 25 people if fully vaccinated before DQ applies.
• Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 150 cap, outdoors DQ2 500 cap 

Food courts: Takeaway only, mask cannot be removed indoors to consume food or drink. 

Regional Victoria

The following settings will apply for Regional Victoria assuming the required vaccination targets are met. Please note: All proposed easings are dependent on the ability for venues and employers to confirm vaccination status of patrons and employees, respectively.  

From 26 September 

General retail 

• Open, DQ 1 person per 4 sqm  
• Masks mandatory at all times; cannot be removed for eating/drinking in retail settings  

Hair, Beauty and Personal care

• All beauty/personal care open with a cap of 10 DQ4
• Masks can be removed by patron for duration of service
• In home services permitted with separate entrance and exit to home and follow the density quotient requirements 

Food and drink facility  

• Seated service only  
• Outdoor cap of 30, indoor 10 per venue and DQ4 

Food courts  

• Open for takeaway service only  

Masks mandatory at all times; cannot be removed for eating/ drinking in retail settings 

From 5 October 

• Open, DQ 1 person per 4 sqm
• Masks mandatory at all times; cannot be removed for eating/drinking in retail settings  

Hairdressing, beauty, personal care  

• All beauty/personal care open with a cap of 10 DQ4
• Masks can be removed by patron for duration of service
• In home services permitted with separate entrance and exit to home and follow the density quotient requirements 

Food and drink facility  

• Seated service only  
• Outdoor cap of 30, indoor 10 per venue and DQ4  

Food courts  

• Open for takeaway service only  

Masks mandatory at all times; cannot be removed for eating/ drinking in retail settings 

From 26 October

All retail  

• Open with DQ4
• Masks Mandatory 

Hairdressing, beauty, personal care  

• Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 30 cap
• Unknown vaccination: no change from previous
• Masks can be removed by patron for duration of service
• In home services permitted with separate entrance and exit to home and follow the density quotient requirements  

Food and drink facility

• Seated service only
• Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 30 cap, outdoors DQ2 and 100 cap
• Unknown vaccination: no change from previous  

Food courts 

• Open for takeaway service only  

Masks mandatory at all times; cannot be removed for eating/drinking in retail settings 

From 5 November

All retail

• Open with DQ4

Hairdressing, beauty, personal care

• Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 150 cap

Food and drink facility

• Seated service only
• Small venues: up to 25 people if fully vaccinated before DQ applies
• Fully vaccinated: Indoors DQ4 and 150 cap, outdoors DQ2 and 500 cap

Food courts

• Takeaway only, mask cannot be removed indoors to consume food or drink

For more information on Victoria’s Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

Seven Day Lockdown: Geelong, Surf Coast & Mitchell Shire

The Chief Health Officer has declared the City of Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and Mitchell Shire will enter a seven-day lockdown commencing at 11:59pm on Sunday 19 September, with restrictions the same as those in the City of Ballarat and metropolitan Melbourne, excluding the curfew.

Under lockdown restrictions, you won’t be able to leave home other than for necessary goods and services, caregiving or compassionate reasons (including medical care and getting a COVID-19 test), authorised work or permitted education, exercise and outdoor social interaction in limited groups, and getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

You can also leave home to visit your intimate partner or single social bubble buddy. Shopping, exercise and outdoor social interaction will be limited to 10km from your home. Masks will be mandatory indoors and outdoors – and there will still be no visitors allowed to the home. 

You have four hours a day for exercise and outdoor social interaction. You can meet with one other person, or up to four others from two households if all present have received two vaccine doses. Dependants can also join you.

The Chief Health Officer has also declared that 66 Local Government Areas in NSW, plus Jervis Bay, will move from an Extreme Risk Zone to a Red Zone under Victoria’s travel permit system.

Easing to restrictions from 11.59pm Friday, 17 September in lockdown areas of metropolitan Melbourne and Ballarat

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has recommended some modest easing to restrictions from 11.59pm Friday, 17 September in lockdown areas of metropolitan Melbourne and Ballarat – expanding outdoor social interaction, exercise, the distance you can travel from home and more.

Changes include:

• One person may meet another person not from their household for a picnic, a walk, or another outdoor activity.
• Up to five adults (plus dependents) from two households will be able to gather outdoors if all adults present have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine;
• Time permitted for exercise – and now outdoor social interaction – will increase from two hours a day to four hours. The distance you can leave home for shopping for necessary goods and services, exercise and outdoor social interaction will increase from five kilometres to 10 kilometres.
• As part of further changes to exercise, two people will now be able to train outdoors with a personal trainer. Skate parks and outdoor communal exercise equipment will reopen.
• Child-minding for school-aged children will be permitted if only one parent is an authorised worker.
• Up to five people will be able to attend an entertainment venue or physical recreation facility to broadcast a performance, class, or concert.
• Real estate inspections will resume by appointment only. To ensure they’re COVIDSafe, only people from the same household can attend the inspection appointment and the real estate agent must stay outdoors during the inspection. 

While these changes can go ahead, public health officials have become increasingly concerned about COVID-19 transmission and exposure in construction settings, with evidence that it emerging as a ‘vector’ of the virus into regional areas.

Changes will be made to limit further spread in this industry, allowing people to keep working safely.

In order to continue working, construction workers state-wide will need to show evidence to their employer that they have had a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 11:59pm Thursday, 23 September.

Limited medical exemptions and proof-of-booking exceptions will apply, in line with previous requirements for residential aged care workers.

In light of the cases seeding from Melbourne into regional Victoria, construction workers will now not be able to cross the metropolitan-regional boundary for work. Tea rooms will need to close and food or drink will not be able to be consumed indoors at work. Worker shift bubbles must be in practice and all sites will require a COVIDSafe Marshal on site.

From 11.59pm tomorrow night, there will also be some changes to COVIDSafe settings in regional Victoria – excluding the City of Ballarat

In regional Victoria, gyms and outdoor and indoor pools (excluding spas, saunas and steam rooms) will reopen with limits and hydrotherapy and swimming lessons can occur. Tour buses can operate up to 10 people.

Ballarat to enter lockdown for a week from 11.59pm tonight

From 11.59pm tonight, the City of Ballarat will have the same restrictions – except for the curfew – as Metropolitan Melbourne. This will last for seven days, until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 22 September.

For the community in Ballarat, there will be only five reasons to leave home:

• shopping for necessary goods and services;
• authorised work and study;
• caregiving or compassionate reasons;
• exercise;
• and getting vaccinated.

Exercise and shopping will be limited to 5km from your home. If there’s no shops in your 5km radius, you can travel to the ones closest to you.

Masks will be mandatory indoors and outdoors – and there will still be no visitors allowed to the home. 

Exercise will be limited to just you and one other person, plus dependants if they can’t be left at home.

Playgrounds will remain open for children under 12 but with only one parent or carer and adults should not remove their masks to eat or drink. Playgrounds must have QR codes.

If you’re living in the City of Ballarat the best thing you can do is get tested immediately if you have any symptoms at all and get vaccinated if you haven’t booked your appointment. There is a walk-in testing centre at the Ballarat Respiratory Clinic on Dana Street, and a drive through on Skipton Street.

Shepparton to come out of lockdown tonight

The Victorian Government has announced the lockdown in Shepparton will be lifted from tonight after three days of no new cases. From 11.59pm tonight, they will have their restriction settings downgraded to match the rest of regional Victoria.  

Restrictions are set to ease across Regional Victoria, except for Greater Shepparton, from 11.59pm on Thursday 9 September

The five reasons to leave the home will be removed in regional Victoria, except for Greater Shepparton. There will be no limit on the distance regional Victorians can travel from home – other than restrictions on entry to metropolitan Melbourne. 

Public gatherings are permitted for up to 10 people. Masks will continue to apply indoors and outdoors unless an exception applies. Regional schools will reopen for onsite learning for Prep to Grade 2 and Year 12 students who live in regional Victoria, with remove learning remaining for all other levels. Further easing of restrictions applies to weddings and funerals, outdoor sport and community facilities, and entertainment and leisure. 

Authorised Workers 

The Authorised Worker list will no longer apply in the regions, meaning most businesses and venues can reopen with capacity and density limits. Regional Victorians will return to the rule ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’ but office workers will be able to return up to 25 per cent or up to 10 people, whichever is greater. 

Travelling to Metropolitan Melbourne 

Movement between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria is restricted to specified purposes: 

• Necessary goods and services (if the facility is the closest to a place of residence) 
• Care or compassionate reasons (including bubble / intimate partners) 
• Authorised work / education 
• Other specified reasons (i.e. moving home) 

Restrictions for retailers 

• All general retail 
  Open, with a density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm 
  Check-in required 

• Hairdressing, beauty, personal care 
  Open with a cap of 10 people 
  Masks must remain on for the duration of the service 

• Hospitality 
  Food and drink facilities are open for seated service, only with a maximum of 20 outdoors and 10 indoors subject to density limits 
  Food courts are open for takeaway service only. Masks must be worn at all times and cannot be removed for eating or drinking in retail settings 

While restrictions remain in metropolitan Melbourne, businesses that are open in regional Victoria – such as restaurants or beauty services – must check the IDs of everyone they serve. 

Workplaces 

If you can work from home, you should work from home. Office work – 25 per cent return or up to 10 people if total workplace is 40 or less, density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies 

Full Restrictions 

List of exposure sites: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites  

The full Victorian Government restrictions can be accessed here.

The Victorian Government will continue to provide additional information at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/  

Information for Metropolitan Melbourne 

Information for Regional Victoria 

Information for Businesses: Metropolitan Melbourne 

Information for Businesses: Regional Victoria 

The Victorian Government has kept restrictions in place state-wide with lockdowns extended at least for a further three weeks

Lockdown restrictions are expected to remain in their current form until Thursday 23 September, subject to vaccination rates. 

A very gradual easing of restrictions will be planned from 23 September, subject to a rate of vaccination of 70% for first doses. The government has flagged the planned easing of the following restrictions: 

• 5km radius will be extended to 10km for shopping and exercise 
• Exercise will be extended to 3 hours per day 
• Outdoor personal training will be allowed for 2 people plus a training 
• Child minding for school children will be permitted 

There are no plans to return to face-to-face learning at schools for Term 3. 

A range of other areas will also be considered over the next three weeks for further easing. However, these restrictions are expected to remain with minimal changes until Victoria achieves a double-dose vaccination rate of 70 and 80% as outlined in National Cabinet. 

From 11.59pm on Thursday 2 September, playgrounds will re-open with strict mask requirements and with QR codes for checking in. 

In-home care – like babysitters – will also be expanded to school aged children only if both parents are authorised workers. 

The full table of restrictions is available here: <download and link the “Table of Restrictions” doc at the bottom of this link>https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/slowing-spread-and-keeping-our-state-safe  

The Victorian Government will continue to provide additional information at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/   

More Rent Relief for Commercial Tenants   

The Victorian Government has announced further relief for commercial tenants struggling with rent payments, with new regulations finalised as part of the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme. 

The scheme will help small and medium-sized businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million that have experienced a loss in turnover of more than 30 per cent during the pandemic. 

Eligibility for rent relief has been broadened, with tenants now able to choose three consecutive months between 1 April and 30 September 2021 to compare to their turnover in the same three months in 2019. 

Businesses will get financial relief in the form of a proportionate reduction in rent. For example, a business with a turnover of 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels can only be charged 40 per cent of its rent. Of the balance, at least half must be waived, with the remainder to be deferred. 

As part of the scheme, the Victorian Small Business Commission will support tenants and landlords with information to negotiate an agreement and free mediation for those who need assistance. New businesses will also be protected under the scheme, with any business which has opened since April 2019 eligible for assistance. Details on assistance for new businesses can be found on the VSBC website. 

The Scheme will apply retrospectively from 28 July 2021 and will run until 15 January 2022. To help landlords that are doing the right thing by eligible tenants, the Government will provide land tax relief of up to 25 per cent, in addition to any previous relief, with the support worth up to $100 million. 

Small landlords who can demonstrate acute hardship will be eligible to apply for payments as part of a $20 million hardship fund. 

Tenants and landlords can contact the Victorian Small Business Commission for further information on 13 87 22 or visit vsbc.vic.gov.au. 

Regional Victoria to enter lockdown from 1pm today

Due to the ongoing level of community transmission, the large number of mystery cases and a surge of new cases and exposures sites outside of metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria will enter lockdown from 1pm today. Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has declared that all metropolitan Melbourne restrictions – except for the curfew – will be implemented across regional Victoria from 1pm today until 11.59pm Thursday, 2 September.

Further, changes will be made to metropolitan businesses operating in high-risk industries – like abattoirs, meat, poultry and seafood processing – with additional obligations such as workforce limits and mandatory surveillance testing to be implemented.

Additionally, further measures will be implemented to protect children across the entire state, as the number of infections amongst kids continues to rise.

This means that in regional Victoria there will be only five reasons to leave your home:

• to get the food and the supplies you need
• to exercise for up to two hours no more than 5km from your home
• for care or caregiving
• authorised work or education if you can’t do it from home
• or to get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.

Face masks will still be mandatory outdoors and indoors (not at home) unless an exception applies – this includes all workplaces, and secondary schools. To give industry time to adjust, workforce permits will be required to leave the house for authorised work from 11.59pm Monday 23 August. Workforce limits apply to the construction industry from 1pm today, however we will be engaging with industry about safely reducing staff numbers as they secure sites.

Table of restrictions can be found here

Extended Support for Victorian Businesses

A jointly-funded support package from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will provide a four-week boost to small and medium-sized Victorian businesses most impacted by the current public health lockdown.

The joint package of up to $2.34 billion will be offered to around175,000 Victorian businesses as the state bands together to restrict the spread of infection while the drive to vaccinate 70 per cent, then 80 per cent, of the population accelerates.

The statewide lockdown has been confirmed until 70 per cent of Victorians have had at least one dose of vaccine – estimated to be around 23 September. The four-week business support payments confirmed today cover a four-week period ending on 30 September.

The vast majority of payments will be deposited automatically into businesses’ bank accounts, while a new tiered payments system for the Business Costs Assistance Program will allow for higher payments to businesses with more workers.

Business Costs Assistance Program payments will be automatically made at rates of $2,800, $5,600 and $8,400 a week over September, depending on payroll size.

Eligible cafes, restaurants and bars will continue to receive Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund payments of between $5,000 and $20,000 per week.

A major boost to the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund will increase the grant amount to $20,000 for around 35,000 businesses, and the deadline for applications will be extended.

Alpine Support Package

An Alpine Support Package will help sustain resorts through the remainder of the season and September school holidays with an automatic top-up payment of between $10,000 and $40,000, depending on business location and whether they employ staff.

Together, the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments have allocated $4.3 billion to ensure Victorian businesses can remain viable throughout lockdown, with automatic top-up payments and grants to help cover wages and overheads.

Details about Victorian business support payments is available at business.vic.gov.au.

Business Costs Assistance Program Round 4

Funding of up to $1.6 billion will support about 132,000 businesses across multiple sectors who were recipients of the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two or July Extension.

Businesses throughout Victoria will receive automatic payments of $2,800 a week (annual payroll below $650,000), $5,600 a week (payroll of 650,000 to $3 million) or $8,400 (payroll of $3 million to $10 million) to cover ongoing costs such as wages, rent, utilities and insurance.

Businesses will remain eligible while they are unable to operate due to public health restrictions.

Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021

Licensed hospitality businesses that have previously received grants under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 or July Extension programs will receive automatic payments of $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000.

Payment amounts are tiered according to premises capacity: $5,000 for a capacity of up to 99 patrons or where patron capacity is not specified, $10,000 for a capacity of 100 to 499 patrons, and $20,000 for a capacity of 500 or more.

Up to $289 million funding will support more than 9,300 premises impacted by lockdown.

Hospitality businesses will remain eligible while they are unable to operate due to public health restrictions

Small Business COVID Hardship Fund

The Small Business COVID Hardship Fund will receive a $448 million boost, increasing the total grant amount available to small and medium-sized businesses from $14,000 to $20,000 in recognition of the impact of the lockdown extension.

The Fund now stands at $700 million, providing support for up to 35,000 businesses. Some 16,000 businesses that have already received a Small Business COVID Hardship Fund grant will receive an automatic top-up payment of $6,000.

This program supports businesses that have been ineligible for Victorian Government business support programs since May but have experienced a reduction in revenue of at least 70 per cent. This includes businesses that are legally allowed to operate but are restricted in their ability to generate revenue.

Applications for the Small Business COVID Hardship Fund will close on 10 September.

Alpine Support Package – September Top-Up

Alpine businesses will share in $11.2 million in support through another automatic top-up payment of between $10,000 and $40,000.

These payments will assist alpine businesses through the remainder of the ski season, with a top-up payment available for approximately 430 businesses based on and off the mountain.

For off-mountain businesses, the payment will be $10,000, for on-mountain business with no employees, $20,000, and for on-mountain businesses with employees, $40,000.

COVID-19 Disaster Payments

Eligible workers across the state who lose hours of work due to the lockdown will be able to access the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Disaster Payment, as will individuals who are sole-trader business owners who lose work and that do not qualify for Victorian Government support programs.

The COVID-19 Disaster Payment is administered through Services Australia, with the Federal Government funding the areas declared a Commonwealth hotspot and the Victorian Government assuming responsibility to fund payments in locked-down areas that are not deemed to be official hotspots.

The payment is set at $450 for people who have lost from eight to 20 hours work or a full day of work (over seven days), and $750 for 20 hours or more of work lost. People who receive certain Commonwealth income support are eligible to receive a $200 payment where they have lost eight hours or more of work due to the lockdowns.

Victorian micro-businesses and sole trader business owners who wish to apply for the Commonwealth COVID-19 Disaster Payment can access the Business Victoria Concierge Service on 13 22 15 and schedule an appointment that will provide them with assistance to make an application.

Residents of the cross-border community local government areas will now be required to obtain a permit to cross between Victoria and NSW from 6pm, Friday 13 August. 

The reasons Cross Border Community Area residents can cross the Victorian-NSW border still include: 

• Necessary goods and services, including medical care 
• Care or other compassionate reasons 
• Work (whether paid or voluntary, including for charitable or religious purposes) 
• Education (including childcare or early childhood services)  
• Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination 
• Organised/community sport and exercise connected to or organised by a club or facility. 

Residents will be able to apply for a permit from Thursday afternoon at the Service Victoria website, service.vic.gov.au and via the Service Victoria app. 

List of exposure sites: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites   

The Victorian Government will continue to provide additional information at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/   

List of exposure sites: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites

The Victorian Government will continue to provide additional information at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/      

Premier's media release | Overview of restriction changes 

Border Restrictions:

The full Victorian Government press release is available here. 

The Victorian Government will continue to provide additional information at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/  

More information: Department of Health and Human Services Victoria | Victoria's restriction levels (dhhs.vic.gov.au) 

VIC GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL COVID-19 BUSINESS SUPPORT PAYMENTS

New Victorian Business Support 

A new jointly funded package from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will give Victorian small and medium businesses the extra support and confidence they need to recover from the recent lockdown.

The new Victorian Business Support Package will deliver an additional $400 million in support to thousands of businesses, with funding to be split 50/50 between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government.

The package includes a new $85 million Small Business COVID Hardship Fund and $156 million Business Continuity Fund, as well as delivering support for commercial tenants and landlords.

It will also build on Victorian Government support for licenced hospitality and alpine venues, with $70 million for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 and $9.8 million for Alpine Business Support.

The programs will be administered by the Victorian Government.

Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme and Landlord Hardship Fund

The package, to be fully funded by the Victorian Government, will deliver $80 million to provide support to landlords that provide rent relief to their tenants.

The Commercial Tenancies Relief Scheme will be reinstated to provide much needed rent relief to small to medium commercial tenants and their landlords with more details on the roll out to be provided by the Victorian Government soon.

Landlords will be required to help eligible businesses that have endured a serious trading downturn due to no fault of their own.

The Scheme will be available to businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million and have suffered a decline in turnover of at least 30 per cent due to coronavirus.

Landlords will be required to provide proportional rent relief in line with a business’s reduction in turnover. For example, a business with a turnover of 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels can only be charged 40 per cent of its rent. Of the balance, at least half must be waived, with the remainder to be deferred.

A mediation service for tenants and landlords will further support fair tenancy negotiations.

Tenants and landlords will be encouraged to enter negotiations directly, with the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) available to provide mediation if parties cannot reach satisfactory agreement. Landlords will not be able to lock out or evict tenants without a determination from the VSBC.

Legislation will shortly be introduced to enact the Scheme, which will be applied from today to ensure rent relief can start immediately.

Tenants and landlords can contact the Victorian Small Business Commission for further information on 13 87 22 or visit www.vsbc.vic.gov.au

Business Continuity Fund

A $156 million Business Continuity Fund will be established to deliver $5,000 grants to up to around 30,000 businesses that remain impacted by capacity limits placed on businesses by necessary public health restrictions.

Twenty-four eligible sectors are covered by the fund including gyms, cafes, restaurants, catering services and hairdressers.

Recognising businesses located in the CBD will continue to be impacted due to restrictions on the number of staff allowed in office buildings, they will be eligible to receive an additional $2,000 recognising reduced foot traffic due to office density limits.

All recipients must have received or been eligible for the previous Business Cost Assistance Program.

Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021

The Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund will receive a $70 million boost, with grants of up to $20,000 to be made available to support licensed venues as their operations continue to be impacted by current restrictions.

These grants recognise that larger venues depend more on dine-in and have higher operating costs, so need more support than smaller operations. Again an additional $2,000 will also be made available to the business if it is located within the CBD.

To receive this funding, venues will need to have received or been eligible for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021.

Small Business COVID Hardship Fund

A new $85 million fund will be established to support small businesses who have not been eligible under existing business support funds.

Small businesses with a payroll of up to $10 million who have experienced a 70 per cent or greater reduction in revenue will be eligible for grants of up to $5,000.

Alpine Business Support Program

Alpine Business Support will receive a further $9.8 million to deliver grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 to 430 Alpine based businesses in recognition of restricted inter and intra-state travel during the peak winter season.

The funding also includes an additional $5 million support to alpine resort operators and management boards.

The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments continue to work together to support Victorians through this challenging time.

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South Australia

South Australia restrictions to ease from 12:01am, Wednesday 28 July

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Tasmania

All businesses and workplaces are permitted to operate, but must implement measures to meet the minimum COVID-19 safety standards and record this in a COVID-19 Safety plan. For more information go to COVID-19 Safe Workplaces Framework. 

The number of people permitted at businesses/activities without applying for approval under the Framework (other than households and the premises specified at the section on exceptions to the gathering limits is determined by the density of the area, up to a maximum of: 

• 250 people for an undivided space indoors 
• 1,000 people in an undivided space outdoors. 

Maximum numbers include all people present, including staff, volunteers, event spectators, athletes, coaches, children and babies. 

The maximum density rule of 2 square metres per person applies. If the number of people permitted according to the density limit is less than the gathering limit, the lower number applies. 

Where practicable, business operators, staff, volunteers and attendees should maintain 1.5 metres distancing from other people. 

For mixed-use venues with multiple indoor or outdoor spaces, the gathering limit applies separately to each single undivided space. For example, a large hotel with multiple, separate indoor spaces (eg conference room, bar, restaurant, foyer, beer garden), is permitted to have up to 250 people for each of these spaces (and the density limit applies). 

Business restrictions allow standing activities – like darts, pool, eight-ball, snooker and karaoke – in licensed venues. 

A cap on the number of people permitted to stand while drinking alcohol and/or dancing is required because large numbers of people mixing freely and closely while consuming alcohol are very high-risk settings for spreading COVID-19. 

• Standing and drinking alcohol and/or dancing is permitted in premises with a liquor licence or liquor permit up to a maximum of 100 people in indoor spaces and 250 people in outdoor spaces, within current density requirements. 
• Patrons in other parts of the premises or event can also consume alcohol while sitting down, subject to density requirements. 
• For example, a venue with a maximum density capacity of 200 can have 100 people dancing, however the other 100 people must be seated to be drinking alcohol. 

Compulsory recording of contact details 

Under the Contact Tracing Direction, every person 16 years of age or older attending a range of businesses, organisations and events for at least 15 minutes (including staff) is required to provide their information for contact tracing using the free Check in TAS app. 

Operators of the relevant locations are required to register with Check in TAS and prominently display the Check in TAS QR code at all entrances to the premises. 

If anyone does not have or cannot use a smartphone or the Check in TAS app, they may be checked in by another person in their group, or by the operator or staff at the premises. If no suitable device is available, their details may be recorded with pen and paper. Businesses are permitted to refuse entry to a person who does not provide the required information. 

More information, including when and how staff may manually record contact information, is available at www.checkin.tas.gov.au 

More information: Current restrictions | Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) 

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