Further Updates To The Covid-19 Restrictions

24 Dec 2021

Key Member Takeaways

From 12:01AM on 24 December 2021 until 27 January 2022, mask wearing is mandatory for all indoor non-residential settings.
From 12:01AM on 27 December 2021 until 27 January 2022, the requirement for QR Code check-in will be extended to retail premises.

1. Mask Wearing

For the duration, starting as of 24 December 2021 to 27 January 2022

Mask wearing is compulsory for a person over 12 years of age in indoor areas of non-residential premises. This includes offices, vehicle showrooms and workshops.

Exceptions to mask wearing apply to a person who is:

eating or drinking, or
engaging in physical exercise, or
communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, or
engaging in work if—
- wearing the covering is a risk to the person’s, or another person’s, health and safety, or
- enunciation or visibility of the person’s mouth is essential, or
- the work is in an indoor area and no other person is in the area, or
requested to remove the covering as part of an identity check, or
required to remove the covering—
- because of an emergency, or
- for the proper provision of goods or a service, or
in a vehicle and no other person is in the vehicle other than a member of the person’s household, or
in a hotel, motel or other accommodation facility as a guest and is in the person’s own room, or
in a school as a student, or
in a public hospital or private health facility as a patient, or
in a residential aged care facility as a resident, or
in a correctional centre or other place of custody, or
in the process of getting married.

2. QR Code Check-In

For the duration, starting as of 27 December 2021 to 27 January 2022

Retail premises such as vehicle showrooms, parts and tyre shops are required to have QR Code check-in.

This requirement does not apply to non-retail premises such as office premises, service stations and vehicle workshops.

"Retail premises” means a building or place used for the purpose of selling items by retail, or hiring or displaying items for the purpose of selling them or hiring them out, whether the items are goods or materials (or whether also sold by wholesale), and includes any of the following:

cellar door premises,
food and drink premises,
garden centres,
hardware and building supplies,
kiosks,
landscaping material supplies,
markets,
plant nurseries,
roadside stalls,
rural supplies,
shops,
specialised retail premises,
timber yards,
vehicle sales or hire premises, but does not include highway service centres, service stations, industrial retail outlets or restricted premises.

“Office premises” means a building or place used for the purpose of administrative, clerical, technical, professional or similar activities that do not include dealing with members of the public at the building or place on a direct and regular basis, except where such dealing is a minor activity (by appointment) that is ancillary to the main purpose for which the building or place is used.