INDUSTRY groups are leading calls for uniform COVID-19 rules across the country, as three jurisdictions eased their restrictions on Friday.
NSW, Victoria and the ACT all moved to scrap density limits and reinstitute singing and dancing in hospitality venues, while also reducing quarantine for unvaccinated international arrivals.
The changes come after Omicron case numbers plateaued across the country.
QR code check-in requirements will no longer be in place at retail venues, schools (including childcare and early childhood) and for employees at many workplaces.
QR code check-in and vaccination check requirements will remain in all ‘vaccinated economy’ settings such as hospitality and entertainment venues.
“We always said these measures wouldn’t be in place for a minute longer than they are needed, and with hospitalisation numbers decreasing and less pressure on our health system, now is a sensible time to make changes,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.
While restrictions have eased, the Australian Industry Group is urging national cabinet to create consistency on COVID-19 rules.
Its chief executive Innes Willox said the myriad of rules between the states and territories were creating barriers.
“We may be one, but we are still many in terms of our state and territory approaches to COVID,” he said.
“Bringing the country into line with COVID rules should be the top priority for the next national cabinet meeting.”
Mr Willox said moves in which NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT were working together on COVID measures should be replicated across the country.
“For our businesses operating across state lines, the hodgepodge of COVID rules that remain across the country create an unwelcome administrative burden,” he said.
“(The different rules are) a distraction from their main priorities of growing their operations as they contribute to our post-COVID recovery.”
Health experts have warned that while removing COVID restrictions for the time being was a sensible step forward, they could be reintroduced ahead of winter.
University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely said new variants of the virus could emerge in coming months, but welcomed the eased restrictions.
“We are getting back to normality. It’s like a tabletop mountain – we’ve gone up the curve, we’re coming down, and as we come down, that’s the time you release these restrictions,” he told the Seven Network.
“There will be some little bumps on the way into winter with extra infection happening amongst those people who weren’t infected in the first wave, and also some of us whose vaccine immunity wanes.”
