Families allowed an extra hour of outdoor time, DHHS say
Parents can enjoy an extra hour of outdoor time with their children each day in addition to an hour of exercise, the DHHS have clarified.
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The amount of time parents can be outside to exercise in Melbourne has been doubled.
In an extraordinary move — almost five weeks into stage four lockdown — the state government has clarified that the lockdown law on outside exercise does allow parents to have an additional hour a day with their children to exercise.
Melbourne residents had believed throughout the stage four lockdown they could only go outside to exercise for one hour per day.
But the State Government without any announcement has clarified that lockdown rule law does allow parents and carers to exercise for an extra hour with a child.
The change was only revealed in a new Frequently Asked Question section on the Department of Health and Human Services website where it says that “Parents or carers of children can take their children for one hour of active outdoor play outside the home. This is separate to the one hour of exercise allowed for parents or carers each day.’’
The Herald Sun understands the clarification was made after feedback to the DHHS with a State Government spokesman saying the change “clarifies an existing direction’’.
The new “clarification” comes two weeks after the state government backflipped on closing farmers markets.
The DHHS updated its website in relation to farmers markets to ban them under stage 4 restrictions, without notifying anyone.
Widespread backlash saw the government quickly reverse the decision.
The State Government had made it very clear that those under stage four restrictions can only go outside for one hour to exercise.
Announcing the stage 4 restrictions on August 2, Premier Daniel Andrews said: “Recreational activity is no longer allowed, you’ll be allowed to have one hour of exercise no further than five kilometres from your home that means it’s fresh air, it’s a jog, it’s a walk, it is in you local neighbourhood.”
A DHHS spokesperson said the ruling wasn’t new but was “a clarification in recognition that in some circumstances, parents or carers may not be not be able to exercise at the same time as their young child or the person they’re caring for”.
“This may be due to work schedule, the specific care requirements of their child or shared custody arrangements. For example, if a parent is a frontline worker and has a young child, they can exercise at a time that suits their schedule, in addition to taking their child to the park.”
Barbara Champion, executive director of Play Australia, said the clarification was “wonderful news”.
“We know children need as much time playing in their natural environment as possible,” she said.
“Some of those struggling the most right now are parents of preschool and primary-aged kids. While teens can still connect with their friends through social media, the younger kids have not seen their friends. As far as we are concerned, the more play, the better.”
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