Superseded - Mass Gatherings Direction (No. 2)

This direction has been superseded by the Movement and Gathering Direction (No. 12)

Summary

To limit the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), suspensions and restrictions have been applied to non-essential gatherings, including non-essential businesses.

Under this direction, owners and operators cannot allow mass gatherings to be held on their venues/premises, and people cannot organise or attend a mass gathering until the public health emergency for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has ended. The information below defines the scope of indoor and outdoor mass gatherings.

For further information, read the non-essential business closure direction for details on how this impacts businesses, and the limits on public gatherings for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Australian Government.

Direction from Chief Health Officer in accordance with emergency powers arising from the declared public health emergency

Public Health Act 2005 (Qld)
Section 362B

On 29 January 2020, under the Public Health Act 2005, the Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services made an order declaring a public health emergency in relation to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The public health emergency area specified in the order is for ‘all of Queensland’. Its duration has been extended by regulation to 19 May 2020.

Further to this declaration, l, Dr Jeannette Young, Chief Health Officer, reasonably believe it is necessary to give the following directions pursuant to the powers under s 362B of the Public Health Act to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community.

Preamble

  1. This Public Health Direction replaces the Public Health Directions for Non-Essential Mass Gatherings of 500 persons or more and the Non-Essential Indoor Gatherings of 100 persons or more made on 19 March 2020.

Revocation

  1. The Public Health Direction for Non-Essential Mass Gatherings of 500 persons or more given on 19 March 2020 pursuant to section 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 is revoked.
  2. The Public Health Direction for Non-Essential Indoor Gatherings of 100 persons or more given on 19 March 2020 pursuant to section 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 is revoked.

Citation

  1. This Public Health Direction may be referred to as the Mass Gatherings Direction (No.2)

PART 1 – DIRECTION – NON-ESSENTIAL MASS GATHERINGS

  1. A person who owns, controls or operates premises in the State of Queensland must not allow a mass gathering to occur on the premises from the time of publication of this direction until the end of the declared public health emergency.
  2. A person must not organise a mass gathering on premises in the State of Queensland from the time of publication of this direction until the end of the declared public health emergency.
  3. A person must not attend a mass gathering on premises in the State of Queensland from the time of publication of this direction until the end of the declared public health emergency.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Public Health Direction:

  1. Indoor space means an area, room or premises that is or are substantially enclosed by a roof and walls, regardless of whether the roof or walls or any part of them are –
    1. permanent or temporary; or
    2. open or closed.
  2. Subject to paragraph 10 below, a mass gathering means:
    1. A gathering of five hundred (500) or more persons in a single undivided outdoor space at the same time; or
    2. A gathering of one hundred (100) persons or more in a single undivided indoor space at the same time; or
    3. a gathering of fewer than one hundred (100) persons in a single undivided indoor space at the same time, unless:
      1. the total number of persons present in the single undivided indoor space at the same time, which is an indoor space accessible to the public, does not exceed one person per 4 square metres; or
      2. the gathering is at a person’s private residence.
  3. A mass gathering does not include a gathering:
    1. at an airport that is necessary for the normal business of the airport;
    2. for the purposes of or related to public transportation, including in vehicles or at public transportation facilities such as stations, platforms and stops;
    3. at a medical or health service facility that is necessary for the normal business of the facilities;
    4. for the purposes of emergency services;
    5. at a disability or aged care facility that is necessary for the normal business of the facility;
    6. at a prison, correctional facility, youth justice centre or other place of custody;
    7. at a court or tribunal;
    8. at Parliament for the purpose of its normal operations;
    9. at a food market, supermarket, grocery store, retail store, shopping centre that is necessary for the normal business of those premises;
    10. at a workplace, including but not limited to an office building, factory, manufacturing facility, resource extraction, mine or mineral processing facility, utilities or construction sites that is necessary for the normal operation of those premises;
    11. at a school, university, educational institution or childcare facility that is necessary for the normal business of the facility;
    12. at a hotel, motel or accommodation facility, such as a worker camp, that is necessary for the normal operation of accommodation services;
    13. at an outdoor place where five hundred (500) or more persons may be present for the purposes of transiting through the place
      Example: Queen Street Mall
    14. at an indoor place where 100 persons or more may be present for the purposes of transiting through the place;
      Example: Central Station
    15. specified as exempt from this direction by the Chief Health Officer in writing.
  4. For the purpose of paragraph 10(k) a school event includes assemblies, sporting events or parent-teacher events. A school event that involves members of the community in addition to staff and students is deemed not necessary for the normal business of the facility.

    Note: The intended effect is that a school event that involves members of the community in addition to staff and students will be a mass gathering if it involves a gathering of five hundred (500) or more persons in a single undivided outdoor space at the same time, a gathering of one hundred (100) or more persons in a single undivided indoor space at the same time, or a gathering of fewer than 100 persons that does not meet the density requirement.

  5. Outdoor space means a space that is not an indoor space.
  6. Premises has the same meaning as in Schedule 2 of the Public Health Act 2005, and also includes land and vessels.

PART 2 – PENALTIES

A person to whom the direction applies commits an offence if the person fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the direction.

Section 362D of the Public Health Act 2005 provides:

Failure to comply with public health directions

    A person to whom a public health direction applies must comply with the direction unless the person has a reasonable excuse.
    Maximum penalty—100 penalty units.

Dr Jeannette Young
Chief Health Officer
21 March 2020

Published on the Queensland Health website 21 March 2020, 6.32pm

Last updated: 2 April 2020