Outcomes from National Cabinet meeting

Dear Members,

Outcomes from National Cabinet meeting

National Cabinet met in Sydney this week to discuss COVID-19 settings and key joint-actions for the upcoming Jobs and Skills Summit.

The National Cabinet agreed to reduce the isolation periods for COVID-19 positive cases from seven to five following a positive test, with the following caveats:

This would apply to people with no symptoms at five days.
Seven days isolation remains for workers in high-risk settings including aged care, disability care, and those providing care in the home.

These changes will come into effect from Friday 9 September, with the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment (PLDP) eligibility to reflect the changed isolation periods, effective the same date.

National Cabinet also agreed to remove the mandatory wearing of masks on domestic flights. This change will also come into effect from Friday 9 September.

First Ministers agreed:

Commence work on a new National Skills Agreement in place from 1 January 2024 informed by the vision statement and guiding principles.
State and Territory Energy Ministers will work towards implementing reforms to accelerate the delivery of transmission projects. Regional communities will benefit from the investment, employment, and training opportunities presented by the energy transition.
Work together on a long-term vision for ECEC to better support parents’ workforce participation and deliver improved early learning and child development outcomes as a national priority.
That Education and Early Years Ministers will work together to identify priority areas where governments can collaborate to support better outcomes across the system, with a particular focus on Early Childhood Education and Care workforce shortages, and with an update on progress to be provided to the National Cabinet by the end of 2022.
Housing affordability issues will be discussed at the next in-person meeting of the National Cabinet.
The National Cabinet also agreed to task the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to acceleration skills and qualification recognition in key sectors.

More info here.

Prime Minister’s speech to National Jobs and Skills Summit

You can read Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s opening keynote address to the National Jobs and Skills Summit here. You can also read the opening economic keynote address delivered by the CEO of the Grattan Institute Danielle Wood here.

Victorian small business grants open

The Victorian Government has opened a grants program providing $2,000 to eligible Victorian small businesses to help pay for specialist business advice from an accountant, bookkeeper, or lawyer. The program is for employing small businesses that are established and have been operating since at least 1 July 2020. To be eligible for a grant under the Small Business Specialist Advice Pathways Program, a business must meet the following requirements:

Be a legally structured business registered in Victoria with an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN on and from 1 July 2020
Be registered with WorkSafe Victoria
Employ 1-19 full-time equivalent staff.

You can find the detailed program guidelines, FAQs, and application process here. $5 million was provided in the State Budget to fund this program which equates to 2,500 grants. While the closing date for applications is nominally 30 September 2022, it will close once the funds are exhausted. The FCA expects that these grants will go quickly and be oversubscribed, so we encourage eligible members to apply right now.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Tohill | Chief Executive Officer
VANA – Victorian Authorised Newsagents Association
NLNA – National Lotteries Newsagents Association

The differences between the Delta and Omicron COVID-19 variants

What are the symptoms of omicron?

Omicron appears to be continuing the trend set by delta. It’s causing symptoms that are much more like a regular cold, particularly in people who’ve been vaccinated, and fewer general systemic symptoms, such as nausea, muscle pains, diarrhoea and skin rashes.

How bad is omicron?

This new variant is much more infectious than previous variants, causing a surge in cases across the UK and in other countries. And although it’s not yet clear whether we will be facing an overwhelming wave of hospitalisations from the disease, it’s important to remember that while omicron and delta may feel like a cold to many of us, it can still kill or cause long-term symptoms that disrupt daily life, especially for people who have not been vaccinated or are immunocompromised.

For More details Visit: The Conversation

NSW Book your vaccine Booster

QLD Book your vaccine Booster

TAS Book your vaccine Booster

VIC Book your vaccine Booster

SA Book your vaccine Booster

NT Book your vaccine Booster

ACT Book your vaccine Booster

WA Book your vaccine Booster

COVID LIVE

SA COVID-19 UPDATE

Dear Members,

General retail premises, and businesses that conduct a defined public activity, an activity with more than 100 people attending, or passenger transport services must use the COVID SAfe Check-In or other approved contact tracing system.

The QR Code will be issued upon the completion of an appropriate COVID-Safe Plan.

The QR code must be displayed in the premises/business/venue.

All people entering the place must upload their relevant contact details to the approved contact tracing system. This upload is automatic when you use the COVID SAfe Check-In to scan the QR code. Paper recording logs will be made available as a back-up for people who don’t have a smart phone. More information can be found here.

See the latest COVID-19 information for South Australians here

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Tohill | Chief Executive Officer
NLNA – National Lotteries Newsagents Association

Book your COVID-19 vaccination now

COVID LIVE

NLNA Member Update: New NSW rules, testing and isolation requirements

Dear Members,

Most people no longer need a PCR test (nose and throat swab) and can take a rapid antigen test to confirm they have COVID-19. Read about new testing requirements.

From 9 January 2022, some critical workers may leave self-isolation if they have no symptoms. Read the critical workers guidance.

Read the new rules for business, which include no singing or dancing in most public places.

Find information visit nsw.gov.au

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Tohill | Chief Executive Officer
NLNA – National Lotteries and Newsagents Association

Book your COVID-19 vaccination now

Tasmanian COVID-19 Update: Public Health response to a confirmed case

Dear Members,

The Tasmania Government has provided the following information regarding managing an outbreak in your business. More information can be found HERE.

Responding to a case or outbreak in your workplace or business

With increasing case numbers in Tasmania, a case will be advised to tell their workplace they have tested positive for COVID-19 so information can be provided to other staff.

A business may also find out a worker has tested positive in some instances from Public Health. If the worker is still in the workplace, they must be directed to go home. They will be required to isolate for a minimum of 7 days from the day they had the test. Workplaces should advise all other staff to monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop and isolate until they get a negative test result.

To assist in keeping all Tasmanians safe, workplaces should ensure all staff continue to practice COVID Safe behaviours including wearing masks while indoors, practicing hand hygiene and advising staff to avoid having meal breaks and meetings together in enclosed spaces. Employers should encourage vaccination for all staff – including a booster.

The following will apply to all businesses:

Staff will not be identified as close contacts in the workplace unless they have had household like exposures to cases being longer than 4 hours and without wearing a mask.
Businesses and workplaces will not be listed as exposure sites.
Public Health will only be in contact if several cases are linked to your premises or event

It is possible some businesses will experience staff shortages due to isolation of cases who have been exposed in the community and to quarantining of close contacts who live in the same household as a case.

The initial steps Public Health may ask you to take are to:

Review and activate your COVID-19 Safety Plan and/or Outbreak Management Plan.
Instruct people in your setting to wear face masks.
Support Public Health contact tracing by collecting and providing any additional staffing and visitor information that has not been collected via the Check in TAS app. This may include staffing rosters, manual check in/visitor log sheets or spreadsheets.
Advise any contacts you may identify to quarantine at home and follow the quarantine instructions.
Communicate with your staff and contractors about the case or outbreak to ensure they monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop.
Organise cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas, as outlined in your COVID-19 Safety Plan. Read about cleaning and disinfection after a case
Continue to encourage COVID-safe behaviours including physical distancing, hand hygiene, advising staff and visitors to stay at home if unwell, and covering coughs and sneezes.

*Important: depending on the circumstances, if the confirmed case is an employee, you may also be required by law to notify WorkSafe Tasmania of the case.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Tohill | Chief Executive Officer
NLNA – National Lotteries and Newsagents Association

COVID LIVE

CHECK IN TAS APP

TAS FACE MASK RULES

TAS BUSINESS SUPPORT

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Checker | Australian Government Department of Health

NLNA Member Update: QLD COVID-19

Dear Members,

Please note these updates from the QLD government.

Close contacts who meet updated requirements for critically essential workers can leave quarantine to go to their workplace.
Testing requirements for hotspot travellers have changed.

Find information about the QLD COVID-19 update here

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Tohill | Chief Executive Officer
NLNA – National Lotteries and Newsagents Association

Book your COVID-19 vaccination now