Three stages of reopening Tasmania and easing COVID restrictions revealed
Major Tasmanian events like race days, music festivals and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race could go ahead with more spectators, the Premier has announced. SEE THE FULL PLAN ON EASING RESTRICTIONS ON EVENTS >>
Tasmania
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MAJOR events like the Launceston Cup, music festivals and the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will be able to go ahead with larger crowds.
Premier Peter Gutwein this afternoon revealed the government’s framework for COVID-19 safe events and activities in Tasmania.
“Each of us have played an important role in reducing the risk of COVID-19 in Tasmania and it’s because of that hard work we’re now in a position to start planning for larger events once again,” Mr Gutwein said.
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“In collaboration with the sports, arts and events sector the Tasmanian Government has developed a framework for larger scale COVID-safe events which will enable organisers to apply to hold an event where patron attendance exceeds the current gathering restrictions under one of the following levels,” Mr Gutwein said.
Level 1
- Free moving outdoor events can have up to 1000 people
- Free moving indoor events can have up to 250 people
- Seated outdoor events at 50% capacity can have up to 2000 people
- Seated indoor events at 50% capacity can have up to 500 people
- Events with multiple separate areas or sites can have up to 2000 people
Level 2
- Free moving outdoor events can have up to 2000 people
- Free moving indoor events can have up to 500 people
- Seated outdoor events at 50% capacity can have up to 5000 people
- Seated indoor events at 50% capacity can have up to 1000 people
- Events with multiple separate areas or sites can have up to 5000 people
Mr Gutwein said an example of the events with multiple separate areas would be “for example a smaller country show that would normally have three or four thousand people”, that could be captured within this framework.
Level 3
- Free moving outdoor events can have up to 5000 people
- Free moving indoor events can have up to 1000 people
- Seated outdoor events at 50% capacity can have up to 10,000 people
- Seated indoor events at 50% capacity can have up to 2000 people
- Events with multiple separate areas or sites can have up to 10,000 people in total
“What this means is, if for example the Hobart, Launceston, Devonport Cups will be able to put forward applications and seek Public Health advice in terms of proceeding,” Mr Gutwein said.
The Premier said he met with representatives from the Launceston Cup on Thursday.
“They were very keen to tell me that they carry the largest attendance of all of the cups in Tasmania — and I’m sure that’s debatable depending on which cup you’re involved with — but they have put forward a plan that will be assessed by Public Health which has a series of designated areas,” Mr Gutwein said.
Mr Gutwein said while it was important to note there was now a framework to allow major events to go ahead, all events would be held going forward under “a COVID normal way” including social distancing, health and hygiene.
“The major cups can go ahead, we can plan to have major music festivals … importantly, it provides a framework for the Sydney to Hobart to operate in as well.
“And for crowd sizes to be of a significant size in terms of Big Bash cricket and other sports over the summer.”
Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch outlined there may be more outdoor, seated events as a framework for Tasmania’s COVID-Safe events.
“A seated event is safer than event where people can mix, and an outdoor event is safer than an outdoor event,” he said.
Events will need to have a process to capture and trace patrons at events, screening at doors and social distancing in place as capacities increase outdoors to up to 10,000.
The framework says events under all three levels must still comply with existing density and physical distancing requirements.
“All events will also need to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and organisers must show how they will meet the current COVID-19 safety requirements and restrictions,” the framework says.
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