COVID-19 : NOVEL CORONAVIRUS
WEDNESDAY 3 FEBRUARY 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.
- Repeals the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Essential Goods) Determination 2020.
Education Amendment Regulation 2020 (No 1)
- Omits Regulation 8 of the Education Regulation 2005, relating to conditions of registration of home education.
Public Health (COVID-19 Affected Areas) Emergency Direction 2021
- Requires certain residents of the ACT to complete a self-declaration form prior to returning to the ACT, and to quarantine after returning to the ACT, and prohibits certain persons in Western Australia from entering the ACT without an exemption.
Public Health (COVID-19 Interstate Hotspots) Emergency Direction Revocation 2021
- Revokes the Public Health (COVID-19 Interstate Hotspots) Emergency Direction 2021 (No 8).
Public Health (COVID-19 Interstate Hotspots) Repeal Order 2021
- Repeals the Public Health (COVID-19 Interstate Hotspots) Order 2021 consequent on the change of circumstances in relation to cases of COVID-19 in Queensland.
Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Amendment (No 3) Order 2021
- Amends the Public Health (COVID-19 Mandatory Face Coverings) Order 2021 to remove the requirement for persons in Greater Sydney to wear fitted face coverings in particular indoor retail or business premises, entertainment facilities and residential aged care facilities.
- Amends the Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order (No 7) 2020 to ease certain restrictions.
Public Health (COVID-19 Western Australia) Amendment Order 2021
- Amends the Public Health (COVID-19 Western Australia) Order 2021 to require affected persons to wear fitted face coverings in particular circumstances.
Public Health (COVID-19 Western Australia) Order 2021
- Restricts the movement of persons who have been in parts of Western Australia since 25 January 2021.
Health (Drugs and Poisons) (COVID-19 Vaccination Services) Amendment Regulation 2021
- Facilitates the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in Queensland.
State Penalties Enforcement (Public Health) Amendment Regulation 2021
- Provides a specific infringement notice fine for the failure to wear or carry a face mask as required under any public health direction.
Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel No 32) (COVID-19) Direction 2021
- Requires certain persons coming from prohibited zones and restricted locations, and other arrivals, to undergo testing and self-quarantine, and requires face masks to be worn in certain circumstances.
- Requires certain arrivals in Western Australia to undergo testing and quarantine, and to provide information.
Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 25) (COVID-19) Direction 2021
- Prohibits the entry of persons into residential aged care facilities except in certain circumstances, limits the provision of personal care by personal care workers to one facility, requires certain persons to undertake COVID-19 infection control training, requires certain records to be kept, and requires such facilities to adopt a Workforce Management Plan and COVID-19 Infection Control Plan, among other things.
COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Commercial Leases) (Financial Hardship Cessation Day) Notice 2021
- Declares 31 January 2021 to be the financial hardship cessation day for the purposes of Section 31 of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Commercial Leases) Act 2020.
Residential Tenancy (End of Emergency Period for COVID-19 Emergency) Order 2021
- Declares that the emergency period has ended for the purposes of Section 3A(4) of the Residential Tenancy Act 1997.
Care Facilities Directions (No 20)
- Provides for restricted access to care facilities in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 within a particularly vulnerable population - came into force at 11:59 pm on 29 January 2021.
Diagnosed Persons and Close Contacts Directions (No 16)
- Requires persons diagnosed with COVID-19 to self-isolate, and persons living or in close contact with a diagnosed person to self-quarantine - came into force at 11:59 pm on 29 January 2021.
Extension of Declaration of a State of Emergency
- Extends the declaration of a state of emergency made on 16 March 2020 until 11:59 pm on 26 February 2021.
Hospital Visitor Directions (No 18)
- Prohibit certain visits to hospitals in order to limit the spread of COVID-19- came into force at 11:59 pm on 29 January 2021.
Restricted Activity Directions (Victoria) (No 6)
- Restricts the operation of certain businesses and undertakings in the State of Victoria to address the serious public health risk posed to Victoria by COVID-19 - came into force at 11.59 pm 29 January 2021.
Stay Safe Directions (Victoria) (No 12)
- Requires face coverings to be carried and worn in certain circumstances, and restricts gatherings - came into force at 11.59 pm on 29 January 2021.
Victorian Border Crossing Permit Directions (No 5)
- Continues to provide a ‘traffic light’ border crossing scheme for persons seeking to enter Victoria from other States and the Territories, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 - came into force at 11:59 pm on 29 January 2021.
Workplace (Additional Industry Obligations) Directions (No 17)
- Establishes additional specific obligations on employers and workers in specific industries in relation to managing the risk associated with COVID-19 - came into force at 11.59 pm on 29 January 2021.
- Limits the number of Victorians attending work premises to assist in reducing the frequency and scale of COVID-19 outbreaks and to establish more specific obligations on employers and workers in relation to managing the risk associated with COVID-19 - came into force at 11.59 pm on 29 January 2021.
Commercial Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Regulations 2021
- Modifies the application of Section 9 of the Commercial Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020 after the emergency period.
Extension of Declaration (No. 2) of Public Health State of Emergency
- Extends the public health state of emergency declaration which came into effect on 23 March 2020 for fourteen days.
Extension of State of Emergency Declaration
- Extends the State of Emergency made on 15 March 2020 for fourteen days.
COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Referred Projects Amendment Order 2021
- Refers 3 projects to an expert consenting panel for the purpose of the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.
- Exempts companies, overseas companies, and administrators that were affected by COVID-19 from compliance with certain obligations under the Companies Act 1993.
- Exempts certain aircrew members from Clause 8(2B) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020.
- Revokes and replaces the Specification of Appropriate Evidence Relating to a COVID-19 Test - COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order (No 2) 2020.
FROM THE REGULATORS
National Mental Health Commission:
Safe Work Australia:
Therapeutic Goods Administration:
- Emergency COVID-19 Exemptions End for Ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment
- Expedited Recall System for Faulty or Unauthorised COVID-19 Devices
- Importing Personal Protective Equipment into Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Life Biotech Pty Ltd Fined $106,560 for Alleged Non-Compliance with Requests for Information and Face Mask Samples in Relation to COVID-19
- Post-market Review of Face Masks: Overview
- Regulation of Personal Protective Equipment and COVID-19
- Reuse of Face Masks and Gowns During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Ventilators and Other Devices Intended for Respiratory Support for COVID-19
ACT Government:
Department of Energy and Mining:
Department of Health:
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage:
Western Australian Government:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus: Latest Updates - Updated 1 February 2021
- Mandatory Contact Registers Expanded to Keep WA Safe
- More Financial Help to Secure Tenancies After Moratorium Ends
- Perth Metro, Peel and South West to Enter Hard Lockdown
- Queensland and Victoria to Transition to ‘Very Low Risk’ Category
- Western Australia Enters Five-day Lockdown from 6 pm Tonight
Employment NZ:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
NZ Government:
That completes this edition of the COVID-19 update. The next update will be released on Wednesday 10 February 2021.