Call to review standing-up drinking, higher crowd caps as next SA Covid restrictions to lift
Dancing is officially legal again at weddings and private events – so what are the next restrictions that will be lifted?
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Standing-up drinking, a boost in event crowd caps and providing certainty on vaccination freedoms should be the next restrictions to be reviewed, business and community leaders say.
In a rare overruling of SA Health advice, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens will on Thursday allow up to 50 people on private event dance floors and outdoor standing-up drinking of alcohol at licensed venues.
While welcoming the new directions, due to come into force at 12.01am Thursday, business and community leaders say more reviews are needed given SA’s lack of community transmission at present.
These include:
STANDING up drinking of alcohol indoors at pubs and clubs not just outside in areas such as beer gardens;
BOOSTING event caps from a current 150 limit;
INCREASING home gatherings from 20 people including those living at the residence;
EASING of mask use;
PROVIDING “certainty” about what rules will be imposed once the state reaches 80 per cent vaccination targets.
The state’s vaccination rollout has reached 45.3 per cent of adults fully vaccinated, with almost two-thirds on one dose.
Mr Stevens, who authorises all legal directions as state Covid-19 co-ordinator based on transition committee recommendation, has said all rules are reviewed every week.
Welcoming the latest changes, Australian Hotel Association SA chief executive Ian Horne, said venue owners needed further changes such as standing-up drinking and boost to events.
“Any more measures will provide more certainty to the hospitality industry in the lead-up to their busiest season,” he said.
His calls were echoed by West End Association spokesman Andrew Wallace who said density caps needed boosting, especially for small bar owners while Restaurant and Catering Industry Association boss chief Wes Lambert also said this was important.
Property Council SA executive director, Daniel Gannon, said authorities can “protect both our health and our economy”.
“If we continue to roll up our sleeves to get vaccinated, consciously use QR readers, and get tested when symptomatic, then we should be adjusting our restrictions proportionally,” he said.
Committee for Adelaide chief executive, Bruce Djite, said the best action people can take was to get vaccinated as a pathway to further easing of restrictions.
“While we accept and agree that there will be no, ‘freedom day’ increased certainty and clarity around what restrictions will be lifted and when would be welcomed,” he said.
“In many industries this is more than needed.”
Business SA chairwoman Nikki Govan agreed.
“As the business community approaches the all-important Christmas trading period, the hospitality, tourism, accommodation and events sectors all need to know what they are in for, during what’s supposed to be their peak time,” she said.
Mr Stevens said he understood concerns about restrictions being in place “very quickly” compared to perceived slowness to ease but this was a consequence of the Delta threat.
“The risk from community transmission does not lift as quickly as it arrives,” he said.
“It is a natural consequences of the sort of threat we’re dealing with, with a pandemic. It’s not like the bushfire when the fire’s out, the fire’s out.”
Premier Steven Marshall on Wednesday hoped to move away from state lockouts by Christmas when the pandemic will become a “disease of the unvaccinated”.
“We don’t want to remain locked up, or whatever, the disease will ultimately come into South Australia, but it’s good to come in on our terms,” he said.
“There will still need to be some caps on types of activities and still need to be some density arrangements, probably still need to be some prohibition on certain activities itself.”
He said borders might not be “completely” open meaning there would still be an exemption process.
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