Dear sport and recreation colleagues,

This morning the Premier announced that Queensland’s lockdown which commenced at 4pm on Saturday 31 July 2021, will cease as scheduled at 4pm today, Sunday 8 August 2021.

The 11 LGAs impacted by the recent lockdown conditions include:

• Brisbane City Council
• Logan City Council
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• Ipswich City Council
• Redland City Council
• Sunshine Coast Regional Council
• Gold Coast City Council
• Noosa Shire Council
• Somerset Regional Council
• Lockyer Valley Regional Council
• Scenic Rim Regional Council.

While the lockdown will end for the abovementioned LGAs, a range of temporary restrictions have been advised and will be implemented from 4pm Sunday 8 August 2021, through until 4pm Sunday 22 August 2021, to ensure the continued safety of our communities.

At this time, it has been advised that:

• community sport (including 'state leagues') cannot resume and will not be permitted for this next two-week period.
• school sport and activities can proceed with only students from the same school.

Mask wearing is required at all times (including workplaces where physical distancing is possible) is required, except when:

• you are alone or with members of your household
• you are eating or drinking
• exercising with your household or one other person
• it is unsafe to do so.

Clarity on the operation of sport, active recreation and fitness businesses, indoor and outdoor events, will be provided once the Public Health Direction has been updated.

Please refer to the updated Roadmap which has now been published online, outlining the restrictions in place for Cairns, the 11 South East Queensland LGAs and the rest of Queensland.

As you are aware, it is our intention to provide advice on the impacts of these restrictions to the active industry, so we will follow this email with further detail on the ongoing conditions once the Queensland Health website has been updated.

In the interim, please also monitor the Public Health Directions as the source of our advice.

Cairns

From 4pm Sunday 8 August, the Cairns and Yarrabah Local Government Areas will go into lockdown for three days. The same rules will apply as the South East Queensland lockdown, however, two visitors will be allowed in homes.

Residents in these areas must stay at home except for the following four reasons:

1. Obtaining essentials such as groceries or medications
2. Essential work if you can’t work from home
3. Exercise within your local area (within a 10km radius of your home, with no more than one person from outside your household)
4. Healthcare, including to get a COVID-19 test or vaccination, or to provide help, care or support to a vulnerable person, or for an end-of-life visit to a hospital or aged care facility.

For sport, recreation and fitness organisations, this still means that during the lockdown period:

• Organised community sport, recreation and fitness is not permitted
• Non-essential businesses are not allowed to operate - this includes gyms, indoor and outdoor pools, recreation centres and PCYC sport and recreation programs
• You can exercise away from your home, within 10km, with your household group and/or one other person not from your household.

Masks
You must carry a face mask with you at all times. You must wear a face mask at all times when you are outside your residence, unless:

• you are alone in your car or with the members of your household
• you are eating or drinking
• you are participating in strenuous exercise
• it is unsafe.

I understand the challenges that this extended lockdown presents to businesses and volunteer organisations, there is some assistance available for eligible small business with the introduction of the 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants for lockdown-impacted businesses in Queensland.

It is important that we continue to act in an appropriate manner to ensure the safety of our communities and see us resume activity across Queensland as soon as possible.

Remember, if in doubt, wear a mask.

Now more than ever contact tracing is vital and mandatory for a number of sectors, including the active industry. For more information and to register for the Check in Qld app, visit www.covid19.qld.gov.au/check-in-qld.

Regards, Ben Callard