Crunch talks on Friday as SA looks to ease strict close contact Covid rules

Critical talks on SA’s crippling isolation rules will be held on Friday after the Premier decided to bring forward Tuesday’s emergency meeting amid mounting pressure from business.

South Australia’s Covid chiefs will meet early to discuss lifting the state’s tough close contact rules, as more industries join calls to drop the isolation requirements.

Following the announcement the eastern states would axe the week-long isolation rule for household contacts of a Covid positive person by Friday, SA chiefs will meet on Friday afternoon.

The topic was to be discussed during next week’s Emergency Management Council meeting, but it has been brought forward to 4pm Friday by the request of Premier Peter Malinauskas.

“An objective of the state government is to bring in national consistency for Covid restrictions when it is safe to do so,” a government spokesman said.

Mr Malinauskas said the seven-day isolation rule was having a “significant impact” on business, families and the economy and the aim was to “get the balance right”.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas requested the Covid meeting be brought forward. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Earlier on Thursday, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens could not confirm when a decision on relaxing close contact rules would be made.

However, he said: “I have spoken to the Premier … I’m pretty certain there will be some announcement regarding the South Australian position within the coming days.”

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens Covid update press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Key SA industries are demanding the rules be changed immediately, including SA Independent Retailers Association’s former chief executive officer Colin Shearing.

“I would call on this government to fast track this meeting as soon as possible,” Mr Shearing said.

“There are people who are close contacts who don’t have Covid and are at home and should be at work.

“Those people who are in insolation, these new rules can be back dated and they can go back to work.”

Colin Shearing. Picture: Matt Loxton

Master Builders Association’s Estha van der Linden said people within their industry cannot work from home and must be able to attend work if healthy.

“The building and construction industry continues to be under pressure from supply and skills shortages, and cannot afford to have healthy people sitting at home,” Ms van der Linden said.

“If a worker doesn’t have symptoms and tests negative, they should be at work.”

The Australian Education Union’s SA branch president Andrew Gohl said teachers would appreciate knowing about changes to close contact rules before term 2 begins.

The Australian Education Union’s SA branch president Andrew Gohl.

“Let’s reflect on last term, we had huge numbers of staff out either as close contacts or with Covid which led to massive problems across the state and massive staffing shortages,” Mr Gohl said.

“Not withstanding SA Health advice, which is what we’re guided by, if we were to face a situation like we did last term, that (easing the rules) would improve the circumstances around staffing around pre schools and schools.”

SA recorded 4079 cases of Covid on Thursday and three deaths including a woman in her 90s, a man in his 60s and another man in his 90s.

The changes from Victorian and New South Wales governments mean from Friday close contacts are no longer required to isolate, so long as they do not visit high risk settings for the week following.

They must also wear a mask at indoor public settings and take frequent rapid antigen tests.

Originally published as Crunch talks on Friday as SA looks to ease strict close contact Covid rules