Rachel Stephen-Smith: ACT Covid-19 response enters new chapter

The nation’s capital makes major change to its Covid-19 response. This is what the change means for people in the ACT.

The ACT has entered a new chapter in its response to Covid-19 moving away from the public health emergency model.

On Tuesday, the Public Health Amendment Bill 2021 (No 2) passed in the ACT Legislative Assembly which will change how the ACT Government deals with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead of declaring a public health emergency to address the pandemic the bill will allow the government to make a Covid-19 management declaration if the virus presents a serious risks to public health.

The declaration can be made for up to 90 days at a time and would be scrutinised by the chief health officer to assure the declaration is justified.

Additionally the act contains a “sunset clause” so the measures will expire 18 months after the legislation begins.

Since March 2020 the ACT has been living under a public health emergency declaration.

The declaration is expected to end on August 11.

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith told reporters the territory's new approach to the pandemic would be more transparent. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the bill included more safeguards and transparency than the public health emergency declarations.

“The ACT Government is required to take advice from the Chief Health officer when making ministerial or executive decisions,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

“The Minister and executive are required to take advice from the human rights condition as well in relation to new directions made under a Covid-19 management declaration.

“This will provide significant transparency for Canberrans to understand the reasons why different directions are being made and how they are going to be applied.

Ms Stephen-Smith said the bill was similar to measures made in other states and territories.

On Tuesday the health Minister told reporters the territory had recorded 722 new cases of Covid-19.

Two people, a woman in her 90s and a woman in her 80s have died from the virus in the last 24 hours.