{"id":255156,"date":"2020-03-18T20:52:58","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T10:52:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=255156"},"modified":"2020-08-13T17:57:24","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T07:57:24","slug":"heavy-fines-back-up-covid-19-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/03\/18\/heavy-fines-back-up-covid-19-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Heavy Fines Back Up COVID-19 Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Health Minister Dr Steven Miles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 18, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

The State Government has strengthened the powers of health and emergency officers in response to COVID-19, and people who flout their directions could face heavy fines.<\/p>\n

Changes to the Public Health Act 2005 will give Queensland Health\u2019s Chief Health Officer and emergency officers more powers to contain the outbreak.<\/p>\n

Health Minister Steven Miles said the Public Health and Other Legislation (Public Health Emergency) Amendment Bill 2020 was introduced in Parliament on Wednesday to amend the Public Health Act 2005 and was expected to pass on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese laws give us greater powers to enforce measures that will assist in slowing down the outbreak of COVID-19,\u201d Mr Miles said.<\/p>\n

\u201cQueensland has been quick to act throughout this unprecedented global event and subsequently has managed to stay ahead of the virus so far but we know that will change.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must continue to throw everything we have at this and support our frontline medical staff to do their vital work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under this new legislation, the Chief Health Officer will be issuing public health directions to ban non-essential gatherings in outdoor areas of more than 500 people, and non-essential gatherings of 100 people indoors.<\/p>\n

This will affect entertainment venues, function centres, pubs and clubs and large restaurants.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It will not affect airports, public transport, medical facilities, emergency services, aged care, prisons, courts, Parliament, supermarkets, offices, schools, universities or construction sites.<\/p>\n

The Chief Health Officer will also be able to recommend that businesses and facilities open, close or limit access to the facility to ensure the health and safety of customers.<\/p>\n

For example, the Chief Health Officer may recommend that supermarkets should open for longer hours and limit entry to customers in some circumstances, including holding special shopping periods for people with a Pensioner Concession card.<\/p>\n

Emergency officers, which may include public health officers, will be provided with additional powers to assist in containing or responding to the spread of COVID-19 within the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople may be directed to stay in their home, or another place decided by the emergency officer, for example, a hospital or other isolation area,\u201d Mr Miles said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn emergency officer may also direct an owner or operator of any business or facility to open, close or limit visitor access to the facility for a specified period.<\/p>\n

\u201cFailure to adhere to directions under this legislation could incur a fine of up to $13,345.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are following the advice of the Australian Government and health experts as we respond to this outbreak.<\/p>\n

\u201cMeasures are changing daily as the number of confirmed cases rise across the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be responsive and flexible, and this means that measures to slow down this virus could be advised at short notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Queensland Health\u2019s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said additional powers and social distancing measures were essential to ensure the safety of Queenslanders, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur way of life is going to continue to change as we deal with this outbreak, but it is necessary to save vulnerable people\u2019s lives,\u201d Dr Young said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe more we can limit the spread, the more we can protect our most vulnerable, including the elderly and those with chronic conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI encourage people to observe social distancing practices as much as possible and be 1.5 metres apart wherever that is practicable to limit the spread of the virus.<\/p>\n

\u201cSlowing the spread of this virus is everyone\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more everyone follows the advice to wash their hands and stay home when they\u2019re sick, the fewer people will catch novel coronavirus.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can protect yourself by washing your hands often and properly and staying home when you\u2019re sick.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also ask that people avoid touching others if it\u2019s not necessary, including shaking hands, hugging or kissing.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The State Government has strengthened the powers of health and emergency officers in response to COVID-19 – and people who flout their directions could face heavy fines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":272039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1455,3,24],"tags":[1132],"yoast_head":"\nHeavy Fines Back Up COVID-19 Laws - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The State Government has strengthened the powers of health and emergency officers in response to COVID-19 - and people who flout their directions could face heavy fines.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/03\/18\/heavy-fines-back-up-covid-19-laws\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Heavy Fines Back Up COVID-19 Laws - 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