COVID-19 : NOVEL CORONAVIRUS
WEDNESDAY 24 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.
Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) Act 2021
- Amends the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 so that recognised vaccination providers are required to report information to the Australian Immunisation Register relating to vaccines administered and vaccines they are notified about that were given outside Australia.
Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) Rules 2021
- Provides for rules to support amendments made to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 by the Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) Act 2021.
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Home Affairs Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021
- Amends table item 434 ‘Coronavirus economic response - pandemic leave disaster payments’ in Part 4 of Schedule 1AB to the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 to include additional details on the eligibility criteria for the pandemic payments.
Migration Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021
- Makes a number of amendments to the Migration Regulations 1994 including assisting some visa applicants and holders adversely affected by COVID-19.
- Amends the Schedule to the National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Special Arrangement 2018 to allow three additional electronic medication management software vendors and an additional 155 residential aged care facilities to participate in the trial.
COVID-19 Emergency Response Legislation Amendment Act 2021
- Extends certain existing COVID-19 legislative emergency measures.
Public Health (Emergency) Declaration Further Extension 2021 (No 1)
- Extends the period for which the Public Health (Emergency) Declaration 2020 (No 1) is in force for a further 90 days.
- Restricts non-essential gatherings and the operation of non-essential businesses and undertakings in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.
- Replaces definitions for relevant flight crew member and relevant person.
Uniform Civil Procedure (Fees) and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2021
- Clarifies the transitional provisions in Part 5 Division 2 of the Retail Shop Leases and Other Commercial Leases (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Regulation 2020, among other things.
Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel No 39) (COVID-19) Direction 2021
- Prohibits the entry of certain persons into South Australia except in certain circumstances, requires certain persons to self-quarantine and be tested for COVID-19, and requires the use of face masks by certain travellers.
Emergency Management (Public Activities No 19) (COVID-19) Direction 2021
- Imposes principles and rules relating to the conduct of certain activities involving members of the public, and the management of places in which the activities occur, for the purpose of minimising the spread of COVID-19.
Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 31) (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, and requires such facilities to adopt a Workforce Management Plan and COVID-19 Infection Control Plan, among other things.
Emergency Management (Supervised Quarantine No 4) (COVID-19) Direction 2021
- Specifies testing and other requirements for employees and contractors at medi-hotels, and requirements for persons undertaking supervised quarantine.
Directions in Relation to Persons Arriving in Tasmania
- Directs persons required to isolate at an accommodation facility to comply with directions of an authorised officer and remain in the room provided unless permitted to leave, prohibits persons from arriving in Tasmania at King Island, Flinders Island or any islands in the Furneaux group of islands, prohibits a master of a vessel from docking, berthing or anchoring at any place within Coastal Waters which is not an approved maritime entry point, prevents a person from departing a vessel at a place which is not an approved entry point, prohibits affected persons from entering Tasmania unless they are an authorised person, and requires persons arriving in Tasmania from a medium risk area or premises to isolate.
Direction Under Section 16 - Airports and Aircrafts - No. 2
- Requires persons at an airport to wear a fitted face covering while in the airport or on board a domestic commercial aircraft and to carry a fitted face mask regardless of whether the person is indoors or outdoors.
Direction Under Section 16 - Arrival Requirements for Certain Travellers into Tasmania - No. 5
- Requires certain travellers arriving in Tasmania to undergo clinical assessments, undergo COVID-19 tests and wear a mask.
Direction Under Section 16 - Mass Gatherings - No. 2
- Provides requirements for mass gatherings.
Direction Under Section 16 - Quarantine - No. 3
- Directs identified contacts to quarantine and undergo a COVID-19 test.
Extension of Emergency Declaration
- Extends the emergency declaration for a further 12 weeks commencing on 13 February 2021.
Care Facilities Directions (No 22)
- Prohibits non-essential visits and access to care facilities to limit the spread of COVID-19 within a particularly vulnerable population - came into force at 11.59 pm on 17 February 2021.
Hospital Visitor Directions (No 20)
- Prohibits non-essential visits and access to hospitals to limit the spread of COVID-19 in hospitals - came into force at 11.59 pm on 17 February 2021.
- Facilitates the COVID-19 vaccine program by authorising certain tertiary students registered with AGPRA to obtain, possess and use COVID-19 vaccine approved by the TGA.
Public Health Emergency Order under Section 22D (Authorisation for Distribution - COVID-19 Vaccine)
- Facilitates the COVID-19 vaccine program by authorising certain persons to obtain and distribute COVID-19 vaccine approved by the TGA.
- Facilitates the COVID-19 vaccine program by authorising certain classes of people to obtain, possess and use COVID-19 vaccine approved by the TGA.
Restricted Activity Directions (Victoria) (No 8)
- Restricts the operation of certain businesses and undertakings in Victoria to address the serious public health risk posed by COVID-19 - came into force at 11.59 pm on 17 February 2021.
Secretary Approval: Nurse Immunisers - SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccine
- Authorises nurses and registered midwives to be in possession of the COVID-19 vaccine for the purpose of administering it to people approved by the TGA.
Secretary Approval: Pharmacist Immunisers - SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccine
- Authorises pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccine to people approved by the TGA.
Stay Safe Directions (Victoria) (No 15)
- Requires face coverings to be carried and worn in certain circumstances, and restricts gatherings - came into force at 11.59 pm on 17 February 2021.
- Limits the number of Victorians attending work premises to assist in reducing the frequency and scale of COVID-19 outbreaks in Victorian workplaces, 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 17 February 2021.
Extension of State of Emergency Declaration
- Extends the state of emergency declaration made on 15 March 2020 for 14 days.
- Classifies COVID-19 Vaccines as prescription medicine except when administered by a vaccinator who has successfully completed a training course approved by the Ministry of Health and who complies with the immunisation standards of the Ministry of Health.
COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 3) 2021
- Moves Auckland from alert level 2 to alert level 1, and keeps the rest of New Zealand at alert level 1.
COVID-19 Resurgence Support Payments Scheme (February 2021) Order 2021
- Activates the COVID-19 resurgence support payments scheme.
- Exempts accommodation services within the Alert Level 3 area from clause 24(1)(b) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order 2021.
- Exempts businesses or services, education entities, public transport services and transport stations in the exempt area, persons whose home or place of residence is in the exempt area and any other person who is in the exempt area from Part 3 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 2) 2021.
- Extends visa held by certain persons for 2 months.
Taxation (COVID-19 Resurgence Support Payments and Other Matters) Act 2021
- Amends the Tax Administration Act 1994 and the Income Tax Act 2007 to provide authorisation for payments to be made under the COVID-19 resurgence support payments scheme if there is a resurgence in NZ of COVID-19.
FROM THE REGULATORS
Safe Work Australia:
Therapeutic Goods Administration:
ACT Government:
Tasmanian Government:
Employment NZ:
- Importance of Mental Health During COVID-19
- Can Employers Make Employees Take Leave During Alert Levels 3 and 4?
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment:
- Enabling Tourism New Zealand to Redirect Marketing Towards Domestic Tourism in Response to COVID-19 - Cabinet Paper
- Enabling Tourism New Zealand to Redirect Marketing Towards Domestic Tourism in Response to COVID-19 - Minute of Decision
- Government Eases Visa Restrictions for Visitors in New Zealand
Ministry of Health:
- Border Worker Vaccinations - An Important Step in New Zealand’s Pandemic Response
- COVID-19 Vaccine’s Trial Run
- Wellington MIQ Workers Next to Get Vaccinations
NZ Government:
That completes this edition of the COVID-19 update. The next update will be released on Wednesday 3 March 2021.