ACT COVID-19 - 26 March 2020
As a valued ACT member, NECA will be providing updates on COVID 19 each day for the foreseeable future. Please look out for this in your inbox and review in full.
We will endeavor to capture everything relevant to your business, but you will appreciate the situation is constantly evolving so please be patient.
Key developments in the last 24 hours
State
25 March - Health service changes in response to COVID-19
Canberra Health Services are reducing non-urgent and non-essential outpatient and community activity to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and decrease demand on our health system. This will ensure our services are well resourced and staffed to respond to the pandemic.
From Thursday 26 March, Canberra Health Services are reducing some non-essential and non-urgent services in the following areas:
- elective surgeries
- community based services
- medical outpatients, procedures and treatments.
https://www.health.act.gov.au/about-our-health-system/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/latest-news
Disaster recovery assistance has been activated for the bushfire effected people in ACT.
Disaster recovery assistance has been activated in response to the bushfires affecting the ACT for a range of practical recovery measures, including concessional interest rate loans for farmers and small businesses and to help with residential clean-up.
Any business that have suffered significant financial loss as a direct result of this summer’s bushfire season should contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 or accesscanberra.act.gov.au for further information and to discuss support options available.
Federal
1. NATIONAL CABINET UPDATE
The National Cabinet met on 25 March 2020 to discuss enhanced health measures to support the nations efforts to fight coronavirus, the following was agreed:
Expansion of coronavirus testing criteria
It was agreed to expand the current coronavirus testing criteria to include testing people with fever or acute respiratory infection in:
- all health workers
- all aged/residential care workers
- geographically localised areas where there is elevated risk of community transmission as defined by the local public health unit
- where no community transmission is occurring, high risk settings where there are two or more plausibly-linked cases, for example
- aged and residential care
- rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- detention centres/correctional facilities
- boarding schools
- military bases (including Navy ships) that have live-in accommodation
It was also agreed that testing will be expanded to include hospitalised patients with fever and acute respiratory symptoms of unknown cause, at the discretion of the treating clinician. This is the minimum testing criteria. States and Territories have the discretion to expand their own criteria for testing if they have capacity.
Nationally consistent public directions on self-isolation for individuals
National Cabinet agreed to implement nationally consistent public health directions on self-quarantine for individuals diagnosed with coronavirus.
Further measures
National Cabinet will consider the need for any further measures at their next meeting on 27 March 2020.
2. NATIONAL COVID-19 COORDINATION COMMISSION
The Federal Government have announced the creation of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (Commission). The Commission is tasked to coordinate advice to the Australian Government on actions to anticipate and mitigate the economic and social effects of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Neville Power has been appointed Chairman and brings both high level business expertise and a strong commitment to social issues.
The Commission Executive Board includes leaders across the private and not-for-profit sectors: Mr Greg Combet AM, Ms Jane Halton AO, Mr Paul Little AO, Ms Catherine Tanna and Mr David Thodey AO (Deputy Chair). They will be joined by the Secretaries of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Mr Philip Gaetjens and Home Affairs, Mr Mike Pezzullo.
3. ATO RELEASES ‘ONE-STOP-SHOP’ FOR ESSENTIAL TAX AND SUPERANNUATION INFORMATION ON COVID-19 STIMULUS MEASURES
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has updated its website with essential information about tax and superannuation changes that have now become law following the passage of the Government’s Economic Support Package through the Parliament.
Measures include:
- giving individuals early access to their superannuation
- providing cash flow assistance for employers
- increasing the instant asset write-off, making more businesses eligible
- backing business investment by accelerating depreciation deductions.
More information: www.ato.gov.au/coronavirus
Ban on Australians travelling overseas
The Commonwealth Government has implemented a ‘do not travel’ ban on Australians travelling overseas under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Key past announcements
State
ACT public transport update
25 March 2020 A range of changes to public transport are being implemented in response to the temporary shutdown of non-essential services in the ACT and changes to schools.
Further information is here
Aged care
As of 5pm, 23 March 2020 visits to residential aged care facilities in the ACT will be restricted.
ACT schools
ACT public schools will still be able to safely receive and provide learning for the children of parents and carers engaged in essential services (such as our healthcare sector) who are unable to care for their children at home, as well as vulnerable children and those with additional needs.
From this week, the ACT is moving towards a program of alternative teaching models from term 2. Further information is here.
The ACT Minister for Education announced that from Tuesday 24 March all ACT public schools will go pupil free until the school holidays due to begin on Thursday 9 April, 2020. Further information here.
ACT State Stimulus Package
The ACT’s stage one economic survival package is injecting $137 million into the local economy. Further information here and here.
Federal
Places of social gathering and Social Distancing
Enhanced social distance measures are in place as of midnight Wednesday 25 March Worksites can and should remain open.
Federal advice is that schools should remain open but implementation of this varies by state.
The workplaces that cannot open are listed here
Ban on Australians travelling overseas
The Commonwealth Government has implemented a ‘do not travel’ ban on Australians travelling overseas under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
Economic Response to the Coronavirus
The Federal Government package includes the following measures:
- expansion to the eligibility of Jobseeker Payments to support sole traders and the self-employed,
- cash payment of up to $100,000 for the period March 2020 to September 2020, worth 100% of the tax those small and medium size businesses (SME) with a turnover less than $50 million are withholding from their employee’s salary and wages,
- coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme to support SMEs with a turnover less than $50 million. The Commonwealth will guarantee 50%, through the participating banks, of an eligible loan to small and medium enterprise customers that have been impacted by the coronavirus,
- cash flow support to employers, whereby the Government is providing up to $100,000 to eligible SMEs, and not-for-profits (NFPs) that employ people, with a minimum payment of $20,000,
- temporary relief for financially distressed businesses,
- immediate, quick and efficient credit for SMEs.
NECA Resources
Business advice and support
NECA is mobilising resources to support members, in particular to access government support outlined above.
Relevant employment legislation – Fair Work has published these FAQs which providing guidance on managing employment issues arising from COVID 19.
NECA has updated its Stand Down advice. Please see the latest document here.
Webinars - NECA is hosting a series of webinars, which members can register for here.
Workplace health and safety advice and support
For information please log on into the NECA TKB. To access TKB, please click on the link www.necatkb.com
Once you have logged in click on the Safety STAR icon. Safety STAR is located on the NECA TKB website, you will need to log into NECA TKB.
Policy proposals/ media releases
NECA is developing a comprehensive set of policy proposals aimed at helping members manage the current crisis and rebuild in the future.
Payroll tax: NECA is calling for state governments to give businesses a ‘hand up, not a hand out’ by abolishing payroll tax for all small and medium businesses to help combat the continued economic turmoil caused by COVID-19.Link to media release
Contracting an essential service: Electrical contracting constitutes an essential service as set out in legislation, and NECA will be advocating accordingly so work can go ahead when it is safe to do so.
Support for apprentices: NECA is calling for the federal government to take a holistic approach to supporting apprentices in these challenging times. Link to media release
Health advice
Please monitor the following sources for the latest health advice:
NECA has a dedicated webpage for all COVID 19 updates here.
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