COVID-19 update for the resources and energy sector

South Australia has tightened restrictions on travellers arriving to South Australia from Western Australia from 10:15 pm (ACDT) 31 January 2021, due to Western Australia imposing a five-day lockdown in response to a positive COVID-19 result related to a medi-hotel in Perth.

The changed restrictions are available on the South Australian Government’s Cross-Border Directions web page as Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel No 32) (COVID-19) Direction 2020.

People who have already entered South Australia and were physically present or in close contact with anyone who visited the Sheraton Four Points Hotel, 707 Wellington Street Perth, between 12:01am (AWDT) 24 January and 10:15pm (AWDT)  Sunday 31 January must immediately contact SA Health.

Anyone meeting these criteria are required to quarantine at a place determined by an authorised officer for 14 days starting 10:15pm (ACDT) Sunday 31 January and receive COVID-19 tests on days 1, 5 and 12.

More broadly, cross-border travel from Western Australia has been suspended, with exemptions for South Australian residents, essential travellers from key industries, and people relocating to this state.

Anyone who has arrived from Western Australia between 12:01 am on Tuesday 26 January 2021 and 10:15 pm on Sunday 31 January 2021, are required to quarantine at a suitable location and receive COVID-19 tests on days 1, 5 and 12.

Any essential worker in the mining, oil, gas and energy sector who has arrived from Western Australia since 12:01 am on Tuesday 26 January 2021 must undertake COVID-19 tests on days 1, 5 and 12.

These workers must also wear a facemask when in contact with the public for the first 14 days, must maintain a record of close contacts, and must self-quarantine (so far as is reasonably practicable) when not working.

Self-isolation before the receipt of a negative result from the day 1 test is not mandated, but employers may choose to adopt this as a risk reduction strategy.

For South Australian workers headed to Western Australia, note the Western Australian government’s lockdown direction includes similar provisions for essential workers as South Australia’s. While infrastructure, mining, building and construction services, and FIFO work, can continue, the WA Government is requesting industry’s co-operation to minimise any movement of workers during the five-day lockdown to only that which is absolutely necessary.

From 12:01 am Sunday 31 January, cross-border travel has resumed from Greater Sydney, Wollongong and the New South Wales Central Coast. Travellers from these zones must immediately self-quarantine on arrival and remain in isolation until a negative COVID-19 test result is received. While they will be able to more around freely after a negative result, they will still require to be tested on days 5 and 12.

Similarly, New Zealand has now been declared a restricted zone. Any person who arrives in South Australia from New Zealand who has been in New Zealand on or after 14 January 2021 must self-quarantine and submit to COVID-19 testing on days 1, 5 and 12. The traveller is released from quarantine on receiving written confirmation of a negative result for the day 1 COVID-19 test but must still be tested on days 5 and 12.

Businesses should continue to monitor news from other jurisdictions and the South Australian Transition committee as recent events in Perth have again demonstrated that this is a dynamic environment with new outbreaks an ever present risk.

DEM will continue to monitor announcements from the Transition Team for any future changes to the cross-border travel arrangements and provide industry with any necessary updates.

Should you have any questions, please contact Martin.Reid@sa.gov.au at the Department for Energy and Mining.

Stay well,

Paul Heithersay
Chief Executive
Department for Energy and Mining

Monday 1 February 2021

Previous COVID-19 updates for the Resources and Energy Sectors in South Australia

The information contained in this resources and energy industry update has been verified by the South Australian Government COVID-19 Public Information Function Support Group coordinated by SA Police.