Page 1584 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 July 2020
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large number of exemption requests, notifications and requests for information and advice.
We recognise that New South Wales is operating with a similar exemption process, and these exemptions are also accepted for reasons such as transit through the ACT to return to New South Wales and for freight and transport purposes. We have worked to maintain a consistent approach with New South Wales and anticipate that the ACT’s arrangements will remain in place while the NSW-Victoria border is closed.
Madam Speaker, as of 22 July there were 567 people in self-quarantine in the ACT, either at home or in a hotel. The majority of these people are ACT residents who have returned from Victoria and are now quarantining at home. ACT Policing is leading the ACT government’s compliance and monitoring work and is working closely with ACT Health. ACT Health is also in regular contact with NSW Health, given the frequent incidents of residents and travellers returning or moving through either jurisdiction.
Quarantine compliance has, overall, been high. ACT Policing issued a fine to a Victorian man on 15 July for entering the ACT without an exemption and failing to quarantine as required by the public health direction. However, they report that compliance by those in quarantine has generally been excellent.
Madam Speaker, as I have said, we are closely monitoring the situation in New South Wales and have taken measures in response to an outbreak in south-west Sydney and the new cases in Batemans Bay. ACT residents are reminded not to travel to areas where COVID-19 outbreaks are occurring in New South Wales. Presently, this includes the Liverpool and Campbelltown areas of Sydney, where there are clusters of cases.
The Public Health (COVID-19 Interstate Hotspots) Emergency Direction 2020 (No 5), issued on 20 July, requires anyone who has been in certain affected locations identified by NSW Health on certain dates to self-quarantine for 14 days from the date they were there, even if they do not have symptoms. Those affected locations are: the Soldiers Club in Batemans Bay on Monday, 13 July and Wednesday, 15 July to Friday, 17 July; the Crossroads Hotel in Casula between Friday, 3 July and Friday, 10 July; Planet Fitness in Casula between Saturday, 4 July and Friday, 10 July; and the Picton Hotel in Picton on Saturday, 4 July, Sunday, 5 July, Thursday, 9 July or Friday, 10 July.
People who have been in any of these locations at these times are required to self-isolate immediately and get in touch with ACT Health through the COVID-19 helpline on (02) 6207 7244.
There are currently more than 130 people in quarantine as a result of the declaration related to the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club alone, and we thank everyone who came forward while the contact tracing for this venue was still underway. Any Canberran who was not at the Soldiers Club but holidaying in Batemans Bay should be vigilant in monitoring their health and get tested if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild.
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