COVID-19 : NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

WEDNESDAY 29 JULY 2020

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 intended to be 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 being frequently updated and revoked. The URLs provided may no longer be maintained by the relevant legislative website, after the release date.


ASIC Corporations (Amendment and Repeal) Instrument 2020/579

  • Makes minor amendments to ASIC Corporations (Disclosure of Fees and Costs) Instrument 2019/1070 in relation to the fees and costs disclosure requirements for superannuation products and collective investment products, and other consequential amendments to related instruments.

Child Care Subsidy Amendment (Coronavirus Response Measures No. 5) Minister’s Rules 2020 

  • Introduces a measure to support approved providers and individuals by adding a rule that permits approved providers to waive their fees for child care services in areas subject to Stage 3 or higher “stay at home” restrictions.

Commonwealth Grant Scheme Guidelines Amendment (No. 1) 2020 

  • Allows grants to be paid to a number of Non-University Higher Education Providers to provide retraining and upskilling opportunities in 2020 in national priority fields of education, to address the situation where employment for many Australians has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) Amendment (No. 1) 2020 

  • Amends the Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines to, among other things, provide for extensions of up to six months in the maximum period of support for Research Training Program scholarships for higher degree by research students materially adversely impacted by COVID-19.

Higher Education Support (HELP Tuition Protection Levy) (Administrative Fee) Determination 2020 

  • Specifies the amounts that enable the administrative fee component of the HELP tuition protection levy to be calculated.

Other Grants Guidelines (Research) Amendment (No. 1) 2020 

  • Amends the Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017 to extend the current Research Support Program funding allocation transitional safety net for higher education providers by 12 months.

Part 139 (Aerodromes) Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2020 (No. 1) 

  • Makes transitional arrangements in anticipation of the commencement of the Part 139 (Aerodromes) Manual of Standards 2019 on 13 August 2020.

Public Health (Jervis Bay Territory) Emergency Declaration Further Extension (No. 1) 2020

  • Further extends the period during which the Public Health (Jervis Bay Territory) Emergency Declaration 2020 is in force by 90 days.

Residential Tenancies (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Declaration 2020 (No 2) 

  • Revokes the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Declaration 2020, retains all measures in that revoked Declaration and introduces an additional measure to allow a COVID-19 impacted household to terminate a fixed-term tenancy agreement without penalty by providing their landlord with 3 weeks’ notice.


Public Health (COVID-19 Border Control) Amendment (Border Community) Order 2020 

  • Makes transitional arrangements for persons who live in the border community between New South Wales and Victoria.

Public Health (COVID-19 Border Control) Amendment (Medical and Hospital Services) Order 2020 

  • Provides for New South Wales residents returning after accessing medical or hospital services in Victoria.

Public Health (COVID-19 Border Control) Amendment (Vulnerable Persons) Order 2020 

  • Provides for essential care services to vulnerable persons in the border zone.

Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order (No 4) Amendment Order (No 2) 2020 

  • Provides for gatherings in relation to certain premises and certain activities, including at hospitality venues and places of public worship and in relation to significant events such as corporate events, weddings, funerals and memorial services.

Public Health (COVID-19 Self-Isolation) Order (No 3) 2020 

  • Directs that persons diagnosed with COVID-19 must immediately travel to a residence or place that has been determined to be suitable for the person to reside in or to a hospital for assessment.

Workers Compensation Amendment (Consequential COVID-19 Matters) Regulation 2020 

  • Amends the Workers Compensation Regulation 2016 as a consequence of the recent enactment of section 19B of the Workers Compensation Act 1987, which establishes presumptive rights to compensation under the Act in respect of COVID-19 for workers in certain prescribed employment.


Nature Conservation (Protected Areas Management) and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2020 

  • Makes administrative amendments to the Forestry Regulation 2015 and the Recreation Areas Management Regulation 2017 to insert an informative note regarding COVID-19 fee waivers, among other things.


Approval of Extension of a Major Emergency Declaration under Section 23 

  • Further extends the declaration of a Major Emergency made on 22 March 2020 for 28 days.

COVID-19 Emergency Response (Further Measures) (No 2) Amendment Act 2020 

  • Amends the definition and scope for 'prescribed emergency worker' for the purposes of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935, and provides an exception from Section 43 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (South Australia) Act 2010, among other things.

Emergency Management (Quarantine Fees and Penalty) Amendment Act 2020 

  • Amends provisions of Emergency Management Act 2004 relating to powers of the State Co-ordinator and authorised officers, and specifies that certain persons must pay a fee relating to their quarantine or isolation.


COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Commercial Leases) Regulations 2020 

  • Specifies matters for the purposes of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Commercial Leases Act 2020.

Directions in Relation to Persons Arriving in Tasmania from Affected Regions and Premises 

  • Directs that affected persons may only enter Tasmania if they are a resident of Tasmania or an authorised person, and requires affected persons who are not a resident of Tasmania or an authorised person to leave Tasmania as soon as possible after arrival after 17 July 2020 if required by an authorised officer.

Directions in Relation to Persons Arriving in Tasmania (General) 

  • Requires certain persons who arrive in Tasmania after 9 July 2020 to answer certain questions, self-isolate at certain accommodation and comply with lawful directions of an authorised officer.

Directions in Relation to Persons Arriving in Tasmania (General) 

  • Requires certain persons who arrive in Tasmania after 17 July 2020 to answer certain questions, self-isolate at certain accommodation and comply with lawful directions of an authorised officer.

Directions in Relation to Persons Arriving in Tasmania (Victoria) 

  • Directs that affected persons may only enter Tasmania if they are a resident of Tasmania or a specified person, and requires affected persons who are not a resident of Tasmania or a specified person to leave Tasmania as soon as possible after arrival after 9 July 2020 if required by an authorised officer.

Notice Under Section 18 of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 

  • Declares that despite section 202(4) of the Supreme Court Civil Procedure Act 1932, meetings of the Rule Committee that are held for the purposes of Supreme Court Civil Procedure Act 1932 may be held in the approved manner within the meaning of section 18(2) of the Act.


Care Facilities Directions (No 8) 

  • Restricts access to care facilities to limit the spread of COVID-19, expands the categories of persons that are excluded from entering or remaining at such a facility, and alters the reasons for which a person may visit a resident at a care facility and the number of visitors and visits permitted.

Diagnosed Persons and Close Contacts Directions (No 7) 

  • Requires persons diagnosed with COVID-19 to self-isolate, and persons living, or in close contact, with a diagnosed person to self-quarantine.

Hospital Visitor Directions (No 9) 

  • Prohibits non-essential visits to hospital to limit the spread of COVID-19, expands the categories of persons that are excluded from entering and remaining at a hospital, requires hospitals to keep a record of visitors, and alters the reasons for which a person may visit a patient and the number of visitors and visits permitted.

Occupational Health and Safety (COVID-19 Incident Notification) Regulations 2020 

  • Improves the information available to the Authority to reduce the risks to health and safety in the workplace arising from COVID-19, and prescribes requirements for employers or self-employed persons to notify the Authority immediately after becoming aware that an employee has been diagnosed with the disease COVID-19.

Restricted Activity Directions (No 14) 

  • Restricts the operation of certain business and undertakings in Victoria other than in restricted areas to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Restricted Activity Directions (Restricted Areas) (No 3) 

  • Restricts the operation of certain business and undertakings in the restricted area to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Stay at Home Directions (Restricted Areas) (No 4) 

  • Requires persons who ordinarily reside in the restricted area to limit their interactions with others by restricting circumstances in which they may leave the residence and the restricted area, restricting gatherings, and prohibiting private gatherings.

Stay Safe Directions (No 7) 

  • Requires persons who ordinarily reside in Victoria, other than in a restricted area, to limit their interactions with others by placing restrictions on gatherings and the return to workplaces.


Extension of State of Emergency Declaration 

  • Extends the State of emergency declared on 15 March 2020 for fourteen days.


FROM THE REGULATORS








Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions: 





That completes this edition of the COVID-19 update. The next update will be released on Wednesday 5 August 2020.