At 6pm on Sunday 2 August 2020 Victoria entered a declared state of disaster.
While some exemptions apply, Stage 4 restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne mean that in addition to having no visitors to your home Melbournians are now under one of the tightest COVID-19 restrictions in the world.
The Victorian Government’s declaration enables the police to enforce six weeks of curfew in metropolitan Melbourne, including a stay at home directive between 8pm and 5am. The only exemptions to the curfew being work, medical care and caregiving. In addition, Melbournians will only be allowed outside their homes for one hour per day for shopping and exercise. Exercise may only be in groups of two. Buying essentials from businesses allowed to remain open is restricted to one person per household and all movement is restricted to a 5km radius from your home.
Regional Victoria moved to Stage 3 restrictions as of midnight Wednesday, 5 August 2020.
If you live in regional Victoria there are only four reasons that you can leave home:
- to shop for food and essential goods or services
- to provide care, for compassionate reasons or to seek medical treatment
- to exercise or for outdoor recreation with your household, or one other person
- for work or study if you can’t do it from home.
You may no longer have visitors to your home or visit other people in their homes, and you are only allowed to gather with one person from outside your household in public.
For the entire state, social distancing measures always apply, and wearing masks outside your home is mandatory, unless performing strenuous exercise or you have a medical condition which precludes you from this regulation. Teachers while teaching are exempt, as are children under 12.
Workplace restrictions Stage 4
Wearing a mask is mandatory when you leave your house, including at work (except for teachers while teaching, children under 12 and people with a relevant medical condition).
If you can work from home, you must continue to work from home. Schools and study at TAFE and university must be done remotely.
Only essential businesses can remain open. All retail businesses and cafes/restaurants must close their premises to the public but may provide a delivery or contactless click and collect service. Gyms, cinemas, clubs, tattoo and beauty parlours and more must close.
Workplace restrictions Stage 3
Wearing a mask is mandatory when you leave your house, including at work (except for teachers while teaching, children under 12 and people with a relevant medical condition).
If you can work from home, you must continue to work from home.
Only essential business can remain open. All cafes/restaurants may provide delivery or take away and retail businesses may remain open subject to density and distancing measures. Gyms, libraries, cinemas, clubs, tattoo and beauty parlours and more must close, however hairdressers will remain open subject to density and distancing measures.
For more information from the Victorian Government click here.
Victoria’s Stage 3 and 4 restrictions will continue until at least 13 September 2020.
This article has been prepared by WR Law for information purposes only and is not legal advice. Please contact WR Law directly for legal advice regarding your specific circumstances.
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