COVID-19 marshals will soon be required in SA. Here’s what you need to know

COVID marshals are about to become a common sight across SA businesses from next week. Here’s who needs one, what they’ll do, and what we know so far.

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Dedicated on-site COVID-19 “marshals” will begin patrolling licensed venues and various other businesses from next week as part of South Australia’s plan to prevent further coronavirus outbreaks.

But who will take on the roles and what will their responsibilities be?

Details are still being finalised, but state COVID co-ordinator and SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has provided further information.

Which businesses will have to have a marshal?

Licensed venues, cafes, shopping centres, supermarkets, retail shops, gyms and places of worship will need to have a “highly visible” marshal at their premises to monitor venue capacity, physical distancing, infection control and hygiene rules.

Mr Stevens has confirmed venues with more than 200 patrons or customers must have a person acting exclusively as a marshal while those with fewer than 200 can have an existing staff member take on the role as part of their other duties.

“If a venue’s patronage exceeds 200 then they will have to have a dedicated person but that will only be when the number of patrons exceeds that 200 limit, so they’ll be able to adapt and manage it in accordance with the volume of patrons they have at any one time,” he said.

“We are quite happy for the various sectors that are affected by this to work out the best way for them to achieve the intention of this particular direction.

“It can be an existing staff member, they could use a volunteer, they could use security officers, they could be use other people contracted in for this purpose. It will be up to the industry.”

Senior facility manager Nathan Swale wears a face mask at Broadway Shopping Centre in Sydney. Mirvac Retail has mandated masks be worn by all their staff in shopping centres. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty

Will marshals need training before they begin the role?

Yes, marshals will be required to undergo free online training.

Mr Stevens said the online education program would inform them on their duties and obligations.

Marshals will also have be readily identifiable to police officers and other authorities who may inspect operations. There is a website coming, but information is yet to be provided.

For what will marshals be responsible?

Mr Stevens described the position as a “reminder role” on ABC Radio this morning.

“They are a visual reminder to patrons in all of these types of premises that they need to be remembering the physical distancing rules and also ensuring they’re practising good hygiene, and also making sure that the venue itself has that appropriate hygiene focus as well, that being clean toilet facilities or hand sanitiser available,” he said.

Marshals would be expected to direct people to sit down, when required, or observe social distancing in their venues.

“Licensed venues, for example, have always had people who are responsible for the service of alcohol in those venues and it's a similar role for them in terms of ensuring their patrons are doing the right thing,” he said.

How much authority will marshals have?

Mr Stevens stressed the marshals would not be “authorised officers” and as such will not have the power to issue fines.

“There’s no authority that carries with the position,” he said.

“We certainly expect them to remind people of their obligations but if there’s any non-compliance on the part of their patrons then they revert to their existing entitlement as a venue operator to refuse service or they can call police and we’ll certainly be there to assist.”

How will gyms be affected?

Mr Stevens said officials were working with the fitness sector to establish how facilities, including unstaffed gyms, could address the requirement to have a marshal.

Will a marshal be required on public transport?

Public transport will be exempt from the measure.

“(SA Health chief public health officer) Professor (Nicola) Spurrier has maintained that people travelling on public transport at this point in time are not at any particular risk, but we are continuing to monitor that,” Mr Stevens said.

How long will marshals be in place at businesses?

Mr Stevens said the initiative was designed to be a longer-term measure in the fight against COVID-19.

“What we’re trying to do is come up with mechanisms that will persist for the longer term so that our businesses in South Australia can continue to trade without us having to reach back towards stricter controls and limit their patronage,” he said.

“They may eventually happen if we have a massive outbreak in South Australia, and we hope we don’t, but we have to look at how we can continue now for the next several months in this COVID-19 environment because I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.

“This is something we have to get used to.”