COVID-19 Updates March 24 2021 (Li)

COVID-19 : NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH 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.

Commonwealth

Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Overseas Travel Ban Emergency Requirements) Amendment (No. 1) Determination 2021

Amends the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Overseas Travel Ban Emergency Requirements) Determination 2020 so that travel to New Zealand is no longer prohibited by the Determination.

CASA EX24/21 - Aircraft Engineer Licence (Basic Practical Maintenance Experience Requirement) Exemption 2021

Provides relief for applicants for initial issue of aircraft engineer licences from the prescriptive recency requirement relating to demonstrating their practical maintenance experience under the Part 66 Manual of Standards.

Migration Amendment (Parent Visas) Regulations 2021

Amends the Migration Regulations 1994 to assist applicants for certain parent visas who may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Health (COVID-19 Supply of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Amendment (Extension) Special Arrangement 2021

Amends the National Health (COVID-19 Supply of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Special Arrangement 2020, extending the date of repeal of the Special Arrangement by six months so it is repealed on 30 September 2021.

New South Wales

Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccine) Regulation 2021

Makes provisions for the Secretary of the Ministry of Health to approve COVID-19 vaccines that may be supplied and administered by pharmacists, and authorises pharmacists to supply by wholesale approved poisons and restricted substances to authorised nurses and midwives for the purpose of pharmacy based vaccinations.

Private Health Facilities Amendment (COVID-19 Prescribed Period) Regulation 2021

Postpones the date on which special statutory provisions enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are repealed.

Public Health Amendment (Miscellaneous) Regulation 2021

Allows for the issue of penalty notices for an offence occurring between 26 March 2020 and 31 December 2021 against certain provisions of the Public Health Act 2010, and extends the operation of clause 99A of the Public Health Regulation 2012 to allow the Secretary of the Ministry of Health to appoint members and members of staff of the Department of Customer Service and the NSW Food Authority as authorised officers until 31 December 2021 (among other things).

Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order 2021

Repeals and remakes, with minor amendments, the Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order (No 5) 2020.

Queensland

Disaster Management (Further Extension of Disaster Situation - COVID-19) Regulation 2021

Further extends the declared disaster situation for 90 days until 29 June 2021 due to the longer-term nature of COVID-19 and its potential impacts.

Public Health Amendment Regulation 2021

Extends the expiry date for section 61A of the Public Health Regulation, consistent with the extension of the provisions of the Public Health Act to ensure fees for hotel quarantine continue to be payable.

South Australia

Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel No 41) (COVID-19) Direction 2021

Continues to impose restrictions and requirements on people who are entering South Australia from overseas, and eases restrictions applying to entry from New Zealand.

Emergency Management (Prohibition of Certain Point of Care Tests No 2) (COVID-19) Direction 2020

Prohibits a person from using a point of care serological test or a point of care antigen based or nucleic acid based test as a tool to detect or diagnose COVID-19.

Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities No 34) (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 6) (COVID-19) Direction 2021

Specifies testing and other requirements for employees and contractors at medi-hotels, requirements for persons undertaking supervised quarantine and requirements for operators of medi-hotels.

Tasmania

Direction Under Section 16 - Contact Tracing - No. 4

Requires persons who have been at a relevant premises to use the Check in TAS app to record the information required to be kept, and requires the owner of relevant locations to display a QR code that is compatible with the Check in TAS app, among other things.

Direction Under Section 16 - Management of Premises - No. 11

Sets capacity requirements for certain premises.

Direction Under Section 16 - Mass Gatherings - No. 3

Restricts mass gatherings at certain premises.

Direction Under Section 16 - Testing of Workers at Quarantine Sites - No. 1

Provides testing requirements for certain persons who have been present on a quarantine site.

Western Australia

Extension of State of Emergency Declaration

Extends the state of emergency declaration made on 15 March 2020 for 14 days.

New Zealand

COVID-19 Public Health Response (Managed Isolation and Quarantine Charges) Amendment Regulations 2021

Amends the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Managed Isolation and Quarantine Charges) Regulations 2020 to increase certain charges, and exempts certain persons from the requirements to pay managed isolation and quarantine charges (among other things).

Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 Renewal Notice 2021