The Department of Health is working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in remote communities on a three-stage ‘Roadmap’ to ease COVID-19 restrictions safely in Federal Government-designated biosecurity areas.
Minister for Health, Steven Miles said the Roadmap would enable designated communities to transition from the current Federal emergency biosecurity restrictions to State-based arrangements.
Mr Miles said the Roadmap would allow remote and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community residents more freedom to go fishing, grocery shopping and attend appointments while maintaining necessary restrictions to keep communities safe.
“The Queensland Government has listened to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Councils and leadership, particularly with respect to economic recovery and social and emotional wellbeing,” Mr Miles said.
“The three-stage Roadmap is a considered, responsible approach to progressively easing access, in line with the National Cabinet Framework and Queensland’s COVID-19 Roadmap.”
He said Stage One of the Roadmap was effective immediately and enabled people to enter a designated community and self-quarantine within that community under approved arrangements, removing a requirement to quarantine for 14 days before entering.
“Some areas could move through the stages at different times, depending on the advice of the Local Disaster Management Group, assessment of the public health risk, appropriate enforceability and community consultation,” Mr Miles said.
“We are working with Mayors, through the Local Disaster Management Groups, on local priorities and requirements for access restrictions, to take into account the different situations in each area and community, including to ensure there is local capacity and capability to address public health risks.”
He said the Commonwealth’s biosecurity restrictions were implemented with the support of the National Cabinet and had resulted in there being no cases of COVID-19 in remote First Nations communities.
“This is a testament to the tireless work of the local leadership of Mayors in partnership with the Queensland Government,” Mr Miles said.
