Dear Members,

Vic: Melbourne lockdown extended for 7 days

The current lockdown across Melbourne will be extended for another seven days, with current restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne will remain in place until at least 11:59 pm, Thursday 19 August.

During the lockdown, there are five reasons to leave home: to get the food and the supplies you need, for exercise for up to two hours, for care or caregiving, permitted work or education if you can’t do it from home, or to get vaccinated at the nearest possible location.

Shopping and exercise must be done within 5km of your home or the nearest location.

Face masks will remain mandatory indoors (not at home) unless an exception applies – this includes all workplaces and secondary schools.

View the media release here

Customer residence checking at Vic Regional Businesses

Under current Victorian restrictions, regional dine-in food and drink facilities, as well as many retail facilities, such as hairdressing and beauty services, must confirm customers are not a resident of metropolitan Melbourne.

Postcodes and addresses can be checked here to find out whether they are in regional Victoria or metropolitan Melbourne.

Customers can use this Declaration template to access regional businesses if they do not have ID showing proof of residence.

Residence checking requirements are outlined in section 4 of the current RAD for Regional Victoria

A person obtaining takeaway food and drink does not need to provide a business with evidence of their residential address, as this person may be a permitted worker from metropolitan Melbourne.

Victoria tightens cross-border community rules

From 6 pm, Friday 13 August, residents of the cross-border community local government areas will now be required to obtain a permit to cross between Victoria and NSW

The reasons Cross Border Community Area residents can cross the Victorian-NSW border still include:

• Necessary goods and services, including medical care
• Care or other compassionate reasons
• Work (whether paid or voluntary, including for charitable or religious purposes)
• Education (including childcare or early childhood services)
• Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination
• Organised/community sport and exercise connected to or organised by a club or facility.

Residents will be able to apply for a permit from Thursday afternoon at the Service Victoria website, service.vic.gov.au, and via the Service Victoria app.

View the media release here

NSW: Dubbo to enter lockdown

Stay-at-home orders will be introduced for the Dubbo Local Government Area effective from 1pm today until the beginning of 19 Aug 2021.

The stay-at-home orders will apply to all people who live in the Dubbo LGA or have been there on or after 1 August 2021.

The rules for this area will be the same as those already in place across Greater Sydney, as well as Tamworth, Northern Rivers, Armidale, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton, Dungog, Muswellbrook, and Cessnock.

Qld: Cairns and Yarraba lockdown to lift

Lockdown will lift in the Cairns Regional Council and Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council local government areas from 4 pm today.

Additional precautions will remain in place in these areas until 4 pm on Sunday 22 August, including compulsory mask-wearing outside the home (including public transport) unless alone or with members of your household; eating or drinking; doing strenuous exercise or it is unsafe.

Seated drinking and eating will be allowed in cafés and restaurants, and businesses and venues are allowed one person per 4m² inside and one person per 2m² outdoors, while smaller venues up to 200m² are allowed one person per 2m² with a maximum of 50 people.

Private gatherings are restricted to 10 people, and up to 20 people can attend weddings and funerals. Dancing is permitted at weddings.

New Victorian Small Business Commissioner appointed

Lynda McAlary-Smith has been appointed as Victoria’s new Small Business Commissioner.

Ms McAlary-Smith has previously served as Acting Deputy Fair Work Ombudsman and most recently as the Executive Director of Regulatory Operations at the Victorian Building Authority.

Ms McAlary-Smith will start in the role on 30 August, replacing Mark Schramm – who has acted in the role since former Commissioner Judy O’Connell retired earlier this year.

View the media release here

Yours sincerely,

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