Revoked - Quarantine within Designated Areas Direction

This Direction was revoked on 12 June 2020, and is no longer in effect.

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 17 August 2020 and may be further extended.

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 2005 to assist in containing, or to respond to, the spread of COVID-19 within the community.

Preamble

  1. This Public Health Direction is to be read in conjunction with other Public Health Directions issued under section 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 that have not expired or been revoked.
  2. This Public Health Direction applies to a person who has been granted permission to enter a designated area under section 5(4) of the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements for Remote Communities) Determination 2020 (Cwlth).

Note: This public health direction only applies to a person who is entering the Commonwealth Biosecurity Determination under section 5(4). For example, it does not apply to members of the Australian Defence Force under section 5(1)(b), a person who has already completed quarantine outside the designated area and is entering under section 5(2) or a person providing an essential activity such as health care or education under section 5(3). These people can continue to enter designated areas as allowed by the Commonwealth Determination and will not be required by this public health direction to quarantine on entry, as this public health direction will not apply to them.

Citation

  1. This Public Health Direction may be referred to as the Quarantine within Designated Areas Direction.

PART 1 — Quarantine within Designated Areas

  1. This direction applies from 12pm (midday) on 1 June 2020 until the end of the declared public health emergency, unless it is revoked or replaced.
  2. A person granted permission to enter a designated area under section 5(4) of the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements for Remote Communities) Determination 2020 (Cwlth) is to quarantine in a suitable place within a designated area for 14 days. However, the following persons are not required to quarantine:
    1. a person who is a resident returning from receiving health care outside of the designated area, or a carer or support person who is accompanying the person; or
    2. a person who is a resident returning from attending the Prep, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11 or Year 12 of schooling at an educational institution, or a parent, guardian or carer who is required to travel with the person;
    3. a person who is a resident returning after accessing an approved community transport arrangement; or
    4. a person who is directed otherwise by an emergency officer (public health).
  3. A person who is required to quarantine under paragraph 5:
    1. must travel directly, or in a manner instructed by an emergency officer (public health), from their point of entry to a suitable place and reside in the suitable place for 14 days;
    2. must not leave the suitable place for the 14-day period, except:
      1. for the purposes of obtaining essential medical care or medical supplies where alternative delivery arrangements to the person are not reasonably practicable; or
      2. to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm; or

        Example – escaping a risk of harm related to sexual or domestic and family violence; or accessing support from a domestic and family violence support service

      3. in the event of an emergency situation; or
      4. as otherwise required or permitted under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health); and
    3. must not permit any other person to enter the suitable place unless that other person:
      1. resides in the suitable place; or
      2. enters the suitable place to provide emergency or medical care to a person residing in the suitable place; or
      3. as otherwise required or permitted under a direction given to the person by an emergency officer (public health).
  1. The Chief Health Officer may grant a person an exemption from all or part of these directions on the basis of exceptional circumstances.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Public Health Direction:

  1. Approved community transport arrangement means a transport arrangement that has been approved by the Chief Health Officer.
  2. Designated area means an area described in Schedule 1
  3. Emergency officer (public health) means an emergency officer (medical) or emergency officer (general) appointed under Chapter 8 of the Public Health Act 2005.
  4. Resident means a person who ordinarily resides in the community.
  5. Suitable place means a place as directed by an emergency officer (public health).
    For example, a suitable place may be a person’s primary residence or a quarantine facility within the designated area.

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

1 June 2020

Published on the Queensland Health website 1 June 2020 at 4.30 pm

Schedule 1

Designated areas for the Quarantine within Designated Areas Direction

Public Health Act 2005 (Qld)
Section 362B

A designated area in Queensland consists of the local government areas described in Schedule 1 of the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency)(Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential)(EmergencyRequirements for Remote Communities) Determination 2020 (Cwth).The areas described consist of the following local government areas whose names and boundaries are provided for by the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Qld):

  • Aurukun
  • Cook
  • Hope Vale
  • Kowanyama
  • Lockhart River
  • Mapoon
  • Napranum
  • Northern Peninsula Area
  • Pormpuraaw
  • Torres Strait Island
  • Torres
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Burke
  • Doomadgee
  • Cherbourg
  • Mornington
  • Palm Island
  • Woorabinda
  • Yarrabah
  • The Weipa Town Area - being the areas excluded from the Cook local government area under the agreement made under the Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Pty. Limited Agreement Act 1957 (Qld).

Last updated: 10 July 2020