Here's how and when coronavirus restrictions will ease in your state

Australia's states and territories are preparing to begin relaxing coronavirus restrictions, marking the first step of a return to normal life.

Some of Australia's states and territories have already begun step one of easing coronavirus restrictions, with the rest to follow in the coming days.

Some of Australia's states and territories have already begun step one of easing coronavirus restrictions, with the rest to follow in the coming days. Source: AP

Every state and territory has now set a date for entering step one of Australia's three-stage plan for easing coronavirus restrictions. 

Announcing the national road map, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it would be up to each jurisdiction to decide when to progress through each step based on their individual COVID-19 outbreaks.

Victoria

Victoria will enter stage one at 11:59pm on Tuesday. Residents will be allowed to have five guests in their homes and gather outside for recreational activities in groups of up to 10. 

Stage one would expire just before midnight on 31 May, Premier Daniel Andrews said.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has urged people to steer clear of the rally for health reasons.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews was the last premier to announce a start date for stage one. Source: AAP
"This is not an invitation to be having a dinner party at every house every night," he said on Monday morning.

"We have to use our common sense, we have to be proportionate and recognise that this is far from over." 

Mr Andrews said all Victorians who can work from home should continue to do so, adding that professional sporting teams will be allowed to meet for training from 11:59pm Tuesday.
The Premier also said his team was close to finalising a plan to return school students to the classroom "before the end of term two", but the details would be announced at a later date.

New South Wales

On Sunday, Premier of the relaxed restrictions on Friday.

The limit of two visitors per household will be increased to five, and cafes and restaurants currently restricted to take-away and delivery will also be allowed to seat 10 customers at a time.

Couples getting married will be allowed 10 guests, excluding themselves and the celebrant. Twenty people will be allowed at indoor funerals and 30 will be allowed at outdoor funerals.
Ms Berejiklian stressed the eased restrictions did not make the coronavirus any less dangerous. 

"Every time you leave the house, you have to assume you have the virus or somebody you're going into contact with has the virus," she said.

"That is the only way we will keep this deadly virus at bay."

Queensland

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has already announced dates for Queensland to move through all three steps.

The state will enter stage one on Thursday, stage two on 12 June and stage three on 10 July.
Later this week, restaurants, libraries, pools and beauty salons will all be allowed to reopen. Gyms, theatres, stadiums, amusement parks, zoos and arcades will follow in a limited capacity in June. 

During stage one, restaurants can host 10 patrons, couples tying the knot can have 10 guests, and personal training sessions and retail shopping will be allowed to resume.

Queensland's current restriction on travelling further than 50 kilometres from home for recreational purposes such as picnics, hikes and fishing will be increased to 150 kilometres.
Restrictions will be further eased in the outback, where restaurants will be allowed to seat 20 customers at once and residents will be permitted to travel up to 500 kilometres from their homes. 

"All things going well, from June school holidays, Queenslanders will be able to drive and stay at accommodation for the first time since the pandemic hit," Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday.

South Australia

South Australia entered a modified stage one on Monday, with restrictions on caravanning and camping lifted in a bid to get people to visit regional parts of the state. 

Alcohol-free outdoor dining at restaurants and cafes is now allowed for up to 10 people at once, while community centres and RSLs can open for community services, but not dining. 

Sport training is now allowed in groups of 10, libraries can welcome 10 people at once, and funeral limits will be increased to 20 indoors and 30 outdoors.
Swimming pools are allowed to reopen with a 10-person limit. 

Premier Steven Marshall said the changes were possible because of the state's low case count, with only two active cases on Monday morning.

"Now we've got to do everything we can to bring unemployment down, get people back to work," he said.

"But we've got to do it in a way that is not going to jeopardise the incredible performance and gains we've made."

Western Australia

While some restrictions have already been eased in Western Australia, residents will have to wait until next Monday for further measures to be lifted.

Next week, cafes, restaurants, pubs and casinos will be allowed to host 20 customers at once as long as they follow the four square metres per person rule.
Limits on indoor gatherings, including worship services, will increase from 10 people to 20 people. Non-contact sports and fitness classes will be allowed to accommodate 20 people at once.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said most residents should also be allowed to return to work from next Monday.

The state will also reopen nine of its regional borders, leaving four passages closed to remote communities in the Pilbara, Kimberley and Goldfields.

However, Mr McGowan said the state borders will likely remain closed for some time to come, previously saying there would need to be "very low or virtually zero" infections on the east coast before interstate travel resume.

Tasmania

Tasmania eased some restrictions on Monday but will not formally enter stage one until Saturday, when public gatherings of 10 people will be allowed and access to aged care facilities will become easier.

This week, national parks have reopened for visitors who live within 30 kilometres and funeral restrictions have eased from a maximum of 10 attendees to 20.
When stage one formally begins on Saturday, five guests will be allowed in a household at once, and restaurants and cafes will be allowed to seat 10 customers if they comply with social distancing measures.

However, travellers entering Tasmania will still need to quarantine in hotels or other facilities for 14 days. Most Tasmanian residents returning from travel will be allowed to self-isolate.

Premier Peter Gutwein has also announced staggered return-to-school dates for his state: primary school students and those in Years 11 and 12 will return on 25 May, with the rest to follow in June.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is sticking with the existing plans to lift restrictions that were announced before the national measures on Friday.

The NT's changes began last weekend with parks reopening and outdoor weddings and funerals allowed, along with real estate inspections and auctions.

Stage two, to start on Friday, allows for the reopening of restaurants, cafes, and bars as long as people purchase food.
The Northern Territory reopened swimming pools on May 1.
The Northern Territory reopened swimming pools on May 1. Source: AAP
Salons, gyms, libraries and places of worship will be open for visits of under two hours. Non-contact sports can also start.

The third and final stage from 5 June will remove the two-hour limit on indoor activities, and allow the reopening of bars and clubs without food being compulsory.
Entertainment venues and cinemas will reopen then and team sports such as football and netball will be allowed.

Businesses are required to complete a safety plan to ensure physical distancing and good hygiene is mantained.

Internal border controls restricting access to some Indigenous communities will stay in place until at least 18 June.

ACT

The ACT is allowing outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people from Saturday, but dining at restaurants and cafes will not restart immediately.

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.

Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.

SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at .


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7 min read
Published 11 May 2020 1:50pm
Updated 11 May 2020 1:56pm
By Claudia Farhart



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