COVID-19: latest updates for stakeholders
Monday 15 February 2021
Latest cross-border travel direction (no. 37) into effect Friday 13 February; Quarantine and testing of Victorian arrivals direction into effect from Thursday 12 February
Under direction no.37 travel from Victoria other than by essential workers prohibited; quarantine requirements and testing for persons at Melbourne Airport Terminal 4 from 9 February and for persons at other areas of Melbourne Airport from 7 February; self-isolation, facemask and recording of close contact requirements for essential workers
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Information for stakeholders
Managing the COVID-19 pandemic
The World Health Organisation has declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic with containment measures disrupting business activity around the world.
The Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) is well prepared to manage the response to this pandemic, relying on a SA Health strategy that was specifically prepared well in advance of the COVID-19 outbreak.
DEM's containment response will be continuously reviewed to remain consistent with updated Government advice and policy.
The Government of South Australia has identified the energy and mining sectors as key industries essential for the ongoing economic activity of the state. Accordingly, it is critical the Department for Energy and Mining continues to support these businesses to continue operations as far as practical in the current circumstances.
The department is liaising with our energy and mining stakeholders to understand their business continuity plans to avoid and minimise any disruption to the delivery of essential infrastructure and services to the South Australian community.
In line with public health advice, the Department for Energy and Mining is moving to electronic means of engagement within the agency and with our external stakeholders, and continues to keep the channels of communication open as the nationwide response to containing the COVID-19 virus evolves.
The high-level of cooperation the Department has experienced throughout the ongoing health emergency is appreciated and DEM's Chief Executive, Dr Paul Heithersay, will continue to keep the energy and mining resources sectors updated as new information comes to hand.
Updates for South Australia's resources sector
| Date | Update summary | Full text of update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 February 2021 | Under cross-border travel direction number 37 travel from Victoria other than by essential workers prohibited with effect from Friday 13 February; quarantine requirements and testing for persons at Melbourne Airport Terminal 4 from 9 February and for persons at other areas of Melbourne Airport from 7 February; self-isolation, facemask and recording of close contact requirements for essential workers | |
| 11 February 2021 | Travellers from Greater Melbourne are prohibited from entering South Australia from 12 midnight Thursday 11 February (includes relevant location contact dates); information on transiting passengers: exempt travellers: cross-border travel restrictions with Western Australia and New South Wales; Risk Mitigation Plans | |
| 1 February 2021 | Tightened restrictions for resource industry workers entering South Australia from 10:15 pm 31 January 2021 - note changes to quarantine and testing regimes, wearing of facemasks and contact recording requirements for travellers entering South Australia from Western Australia, Greater Sydney, Wollongong and the New South Wales Central Coast, and New Zealand. | |
| 29 January 2021 | South Australia to ease restrictions on travellers from these NSW former hotspots - subject to no further outbreaks in NSW before the new direction comes into force on Sunday. A new testing regime requiring COVID-19 testing on days 1, 5 and 12 will be in place, with self-isolation from arrival until day 1 test received. Exemptions for essential travel for key mining, oil, gas and energy industries remain in place, however resource companies urged to maintain their own control measures to prevent risk of the virus emerging in their work places. | |
| 8 January 2021 | Restrictions to apply for travellers arriving into South Australia from Greater Brisbane from midnight 9 January 2021. Exemptions for essential travellers to South Australia remain in place, but testing, quarantine and self-isolation requirements for anyone arriving from the Greater Brisbane hotspot apply. Resource companies urged to avoid unnecessary worker movements from identified hotspots. | |
| 31 December 2020 | Cross-border travel restrictions will be in place from midnight tonight, Thursday 31 December for travel from New South Wales into South Australia. Restrictions will be similar to those that existed for Victoria earlier this year. Companies may need to submit a Risk Mitigation Template to SA Health asap and complete the compulsory online cross-border travel form for any essential workers required to enter South Australia from New Wouth Wales. | |
| 21 December 2020 | New Cross Border Travel restrictions for domestic travellers entering South Australia from New South Wales – anyone physcially present in NSW Northern Beaches Council local government area from 11 December prohibited from entering SA; requirements for specialist workers in resource and energy sectors from high community transmission zones. | |
| 18 December 2020 | Removal of Cross Border Travel application process for domestic travellers entering South Australia – effective 16 December 2020. Arrivals at the Adelaide Airport will continue to be met by South Australia Police and only overseas travellers are now required to complete a Cross Border Travel Registration. | |
| 9 December 2020 | COVID-19 restrictions to ease in a range of settings, including licensed venue and home gatherings; people encouraged to return to working in the office; use of COVID SAfe Check-in QR code system; cross-border restrictions with Queensland eased from Saturday 12 December, assisting energy and mining sectors to resume normal FIFO arrangements. | |
| 30 November 2020 | Cross-border travel restrictions from Victoria to be eased from Tuesday 1 December but online registration still required; revised requirements for contact tracing and public activities | |
| 21 November 2020 | Emergency Management Directions released - clarification of COVID-9 controls to apply from 00:01 Sunday 22 November 2020. |
|
| 20 November 2020 | Information regarding employee movements - South Australia's lockdown restrictions eased from 00:01 am Sunday 22 November, resource sector operations may resume under conditions in place on 16 November. |
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| 19 November 2020 | 'Hard border' in place for 48 hours from 11:59 Thursday 19 November, to then be replaced by a permit system. Hard border restrictions mean that only freight drivers and those with medical or emergency reasons, urgent animal welfare or as authorised by law to pass through the border. | |
| 19 November 2020 | Six day restriction on movement in South Australia to contain current COVID-19 outbreak - advice on how the Direction should be applied to employee movements (local workforces, FIFO, DIDO) and operational activities in the resources and energy sectors | |
| 18 November 2020 | Six day restriction on movement in South Australia to contain current COVID-19 outbreak - FIFO movements, construction activities, non-essential operations to stop for six days | |
| 16 November 2020 | Response to 'Parafield cluster' of COVID-19 cases in South Australia - potential exposure locations and times across metropolitan Adelaide, contact tracing, tightened border controls, continued need for company preparedness | |
| 13 October 2020 | Further updates to border arrangments (Cross Border Travel Direction 16) | |
| 24 September 2020 | Cross-border travel direction 15 - New South Wales added to list of Low Community Transmission Zones | |
| 28 August 2020 | Cross-border travel direction 13 now in force - information on quarantine changes for travellers from low community transmission zones transiting through Sydney or Canberra airports, travel exemption application requirements, clarification for arrivals from Queensland, Essential Sector COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Plans, maintenance shutdowns, and family member relocations to decrease FIFO movement | |
| 28 July 2020 | Significantly reduced travel between South Australia and Victoria, modified arrangements for New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory; required information for travel exemption applications; support for temporary relocation for families; recommendations regarding maintenance shutdowns; and clarification regarding transiting Tasmanian travellers |
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| 21 July 2020 | Changes to cross-border travel restrictions including compulsory polymerise chain reaction (PCR) testing for people arriving in South Australia, close contact recording for Victorian FIFO workers, use of surgical face masks, and quarantine requirements for Victorian residents | |
| 9 July 2020 | Emergency Management Direction regarding cross-border travel restrictions updated following escalation in community transmission of COVID-19 in part of Victoria, update on quarantine requirements and on permitted roads, and template for streamlining FIFO travel | |
19 June 2020 | Key changes to the Cross Border Travel Direction (Number 7) and the relevance of these changes to the resources sector, particularly with regard to FIFO and DIDO workers | |
16 June 2020 | State border restrictions for people travelling directly from Western Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania to be lifted at midnight 16 June 2020, report on the asymptomatic COVID-19 testing trial conducted at Adelaide Airport for inbound FIFO workers | |
12 June 2020 | State's border restrictions to be lifted from Monday 20 July 2020 - impact for the mining, oil, gas, energy and METS sectors | |
| 1 May 2020 | Planning for maintenance shutdowns, process for importing international expertise if required for emergency management, swab testing of FIFO workforces, the COVIDSafe app, and thoughts on the road to economic recovery | |
14 May 2020 | COVID-19 impact and actions required regarding conduct of mineral exploration, working with native title groups, Cross-Border Travel Direction, COVID-19 tesing, South Australia's infrastructure stragegy and changes to energy legislation | |
15 April 2020 | SA Health briefing for the resources industry | |
| 4 April 2020 | Updates on:
| |
| 3 April 2020 | South Australian Government defers costs linked to exploration and licence fees for the minerals and petroleum sectors with the announcement of:
| Read full details in the Minister for Energy and Mining's media release: Fee relief for the South Australian resources sector |
| 1 April 2020 | DEM Chief Executive outlines recommended industry response to the cross-travel directions and social distancing policies rolled out in South Australia | Download the Chief Executive's update for energy and mining resources sectors (PDF) |
| 29 March 2020 | Non-essential movements resulting in unnecessary exposure pathways to stop | |
| 28 March 2020 | Quarantine restrictions on international travellers into South Australia |
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| 27 March 2020 | Cross-border travel arrangements - information from Dr Paul Heithersay, Chief Executive, Department for Energy and Mining | |
| 27 March 2020 | Cross-border travel arrangements - advice for Cooper Eromanga Basin Operators from South Australian Department for Energy and Mining and Queensland Gas Inspectorate | |
| 24 March 2020 | Measures for controlling COVID-19 transmission |
Managing supply risks - guidance and tools for resource companies
The Minerals Council of Australia and the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy and their member companies have developed two documents for use by the resources sector to further promote the operationalising of national protocols as they navigate the restrictions required to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The Managing Supply Risks document provides practical guidance to resource companies to ensure supply risks to business critical services and products are identified, assessed and managed. The Essential Supplier Letter template is a tool for companies to use if suppliers seek or require confirmation of their 'essential status' to the resources industry.
The Department for Energy and Mining encourages essential industries in South Australia to use the guide and template letter to assist state authorities to maintain the restrictions while minimising the disruption to critical business operations.
More information is available from the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) website
Access to South Australia Drill Core Reference Library
In line with the Department for Energy and Mining's containment response to restrict the spread of the coronavirus, the Drill Core reference Library will be closed until further notice.
Requests for core inspections will not be accepted until further notice. Any inspections that have been been booked will need to be cancelled or postponed, and companies will be advised when restrictions are no longer in place.
Keeping our staff and the working environment safe
All DEM employees are taking measures to reduce potential exposure to the virus and to maintain the health and wellbeing of the department's staff and their families.
These measures include:
- Implementing staff working from home rosters while ensuring critical functions are maintained
- Guidance on appropriate social distancing, limiting meeting room capacities and providing alternatives to face-to-face meetings using Skype for Business and Microsoft teams
- Cancellation of all business travel
- An obligation for employees to report any recent travel and the results of any testing for COVID-19
- Adopting a self-isolation policy following SA Health guidelines
- Increasing daily cleaning services at our offices including meeting room tables, IT equipment, light switches, door handles and lift buttons and other high use surfaces
- Encouraging good hygiene practices, including the provision of hand sanitiser and cleaning agents throughout the offices
Conferences and events
Global concerns about the pandemic and the disruption to travel due to self-isolation policies has prompted DEM to review its role in organising and participating in conferences and events.
Copper to the World 2020 Conference
DEM has postponed the June 2020 conference and masterclass.
Register here to receive updates about future conference developments.
More information
SA Health
Updates, advice and information for South Australians about COVID-19 can be found on SA Health's:
- website sa.health.sa.gov.au/COVID2019
- Facebook facebook.com/sahealth
- Twitter @SAHealth
South Australian Government
State-based COVID-19 information can be accessed from:
- a dedicated website sa.gov.au/covid-19 (includes Emergency Declaration and directions, business information including financial support, and frequently asked questions)
- the South Australia COVID-19 Information Line 1800 253 787 (open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, 7 days a week)
Department for Energy and Mining
If you have any queries regarding the work of the Department in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak please email DEM.corporateservices@sa.gov.au