Tasmania eyes state of emergency extension despite no COVID transmission

Tasmania is considering the move despite the lack of community transmission of the virus within the state.

Premier Peter Gutwein on Thursday. The Australian understands he is taking advice on a further extension to the state of emergency but this would not exceed three months. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Tasmania is considering extending its coronavirus state of emergency beyond the end of this month, despite the lack of community transmission of the virus within the state.

Premier Peter Gutwein is taking advice on extending the declaration, which gives his government sweeping powers to restrict the way people move, gather and do business, when it expires on Monday, August 31.

However, the state Emergency Management Act limits such declarations to a maximum of three months and Mr Gutwein has no plans to amend the legislation to seek a Victorian-style six to 12 month period.

“The government in considering and taking advice on the matter of whether to extend the state of emergency beyond August 31,” a government spokesman confirmed to The Australian. “We don’t have any intention of amending the legislation.”

The Act does not appear to limit the number of times the premier can extend a state of emergency, but it cannot be for periods of longer than three months at a time, and must be regularly reviewed.

“The premier may extend a declaration of a state of emergency for one or more further periods, each of which does not exceed … (three months) if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to do so,” the Act says.

That question is the subject of much debate, with ongoing coronavirus restrictions, chiefly a one person per 2 sqm rule, continuing to frustrate businesses and prevent a full return to normal for hospitality and entertainment venues.

Some peak business groups are pushing for all internal restrictions to be lifted while the state has closed borders and remains free of community transmission of COVID-19.

The state of emergency was last extended on July 9, along with a public health emergency declaration.

Tasmania’s last confirmed coronavirus case was on August 11- a man in his 60s who remains in a stable condition.

Despite this, and against the pleas of the state’s hard-hit tourism industry, Mr Gutwein has announced state borders will remain effectively closed until December 1, unless the public health advice significantly changes.

On Thursday, he suggested ongoing restrictions were needed to ensure any new cases did not quickly get out of control. “I fully expect that we will see a case of COVID at some time,” he said.