Australian Covid-19 Restrictions Guide: State by State Update

Australian Covid-19 Restrictions Guide: State by State Update
What's the state of the nation's COVID restrictions?

It’s hard to stay up to date with the day-to-day happenings across Australia’s states when it comes to the coronavirus. Here’s where things stand currently.

South Australia

South Australia has come out of its strict lockdown and the following rules apply to residents until December 1, when the board between Sa and Victoria is due to reopen.

  • A one person per four square metres rule for venues
  • Hospitality limited to 100 people, and 10 people per table booking, and people must sit to eat and drink.
  • Funerals allowed to have 50 people.
  • Weddings up to 150 people, but no dancing, and people must sit to eat and drink.
  • Religious ceremonies limited to 100 people.
  • Private gatherings limited to 50 people.
  • A maximum of 10 people in homes.
  • Personal care providers such as hairdressers and beauty therapists will be required to wear masks, and patrons will strongly be encouraged to wear masks at the same time.
  • Gyms will re-open.
  • Schools are now open.

Can I entertain people in my home?

Yes, you can have people over in every state, except in South Australia.

NSW – Limited to 20 people at any one time. If there are more than 20 visitors at a home, every person can be held individually responsible for a breach of the public health order.

ACT – No limit to guests in the Capital.

VIC – Each household can receive two adult guests per day, this does not include intimate partners and dependents of the visitors.

QLD – There are currently no restrictions in Queensland.

NT – Similar to Queensland, there is no limit to how many people you can host at home, however you must kept a strict distance of 1.5m from people who you don’t live with. There is also a COVID-19 check list which must be completed before hosting over 100 people.

WA – While there there is no strict limit in Western Australia, there must be no more than one person per two square metres.

TAS – The limit is also 20 guests in Tasmania.

For outdoor events, each state has different rules again. 

NSW – Limited to 20 people at any one time. The Public Health Act says organisers of events must ensure that venues do not exceed the four square metre per person rule, up to a limit of 500 participants (which includes players, officials and spectators).

ACT – Up to 100 people can gather together outdoors or in public indoor areas as long as there is at least four square metres of space per person.

VIC – Outdoor events in the southern state are limited to 20 people.

QLD – Unless you are a business following a Covid safe plan, the maximum guests you can host is 50.

NT – Same as their approach to indoor gathering, no limit on numbers as long as people keep a strict distance of 1.5m from people who don’t live with one another.  There is also a COVID-19 check list which must be completed before hosting over 100 people.

WA – While there there is no strict limit in Western Australia, there must be no more than one person per two square metres. Same as indoors.

TAS – The limit for outdoor events in Tassie is 1,000 with at least two square metres per person.

Can I visit family and friends in aged care facilities? 

Covid-19 has spread rapidly in aged care facilities in Australia and around the world. It is important the highest standards are kept when visiting aged care facilities. The Federal government rules that all visitors must have received this year’s flu vaccination, unless they have a documented medical contraindication to receiving the vaccine before visiting.

NSW/ACT/NT/QLD /TAS – All of these states limit visitors to two at a time. However NSW takes this a step further and limits to only two people per day.

WA – Restricts visitations to one care provider and one family member per day.

VIC – Residents of aged care facilities in Victoria are limited to one visitor per day for a maximum of two hours.

Spectacular Sydney is home to four of Australia's top five most-Instagrammed locations. ISTOCK
Spectacular Sydney is home to four of Australia’s top five most-Instagrammed locations. ISTOCK

Where can I travel to within Australia?

NSW – The Queensland border is closed to people from NSW who have been in a Covid hotspot – including Greater Sydney. Borders with South Australia remain open but all arrivals from the state are being screened. Besides this, residents of NSW can travel freely around Australia as of today with the NSW-VIC boarder now open.

VIC – Victorians are more limited in their travel options within Australia. Valid permits are needed to access NSW, ACT, TAS or WA. Those wanting to visit NT will have to quarantine for 14-days, and travel to SA and QLD remains restricted for the time being.

TAS – Tasmanians are free to travel around most of Australia. However, non-residents must carry out 14-day quarantine on return.

WA – The boarders in Western Australia are tightly held. Residents are only permitted to leave unless you are granted an exemption on application. There is no date or plans to currently reopen the boarders.

NT – Travellers must complete an application 72 hours before returning to the Northern Territory. Failure to do so may result in penalties up to $5,000 and three years in jail. Returning residents who visited Covid-19 hotspots, (currently Melbourne and Adelaide) will have to complete 14 days of mandatory quarantine at their own expense, which is $2,500 per person.

ACT – The state has advised that all non-essential travel between the ACT and South Australia be reconsidered, with arrivals being screened. People who are not ACT residents may not enter the ACT from Victoria unless they hold an exemption, and returning ACT residents are required to enter quarantine until 14 days after leaving Victoria.

The information in this guide was written on 23 November 2020.

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