SportsWest COVID update

SportWest, in conjunction with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, has developed an information centre on COVID-19 focused on how restrictions and regulations impact sport.

As Western Australia embarks on its Safe Transition Plan, SportWest will be meeting weekly with DLGSC to review any new COVID-19 restrictions and/or regulations and formulate information relating to the changes and how they affect sport. We are also in constant dialogue with the Department of Premier and Cabinet, WA Police Force and WA Health to ensure that we can provide the industry the most up to date and relevant information.

The information centre is intended to assist sports by providing FAQs and links to the information which directly affects sport. Any changes to restrictions and/or regulations will also be highlighted weekly in Sportsview. While we aim to streamline the communication to relevant information to sport, please also consistently refer to the www.wa.gov.au for the most up to date information.

Sports are strongly encouraged to email specific questions relating to their sport to Grant Trew at DLGSC via email: sportinfo@dlgsc.wa.gov.au or to SportWest via info@sportwest.com.au

View the SportWest COVID-19 Information Centre

Expansion of Proof of Vaccination requirements
Yesterday, the State Government announced an expansion of proof of vaccination requirements which will apply from 31 January 2022. From Monday, 31 January 2022, proof of vaccination requirements will apply State-wide and be expanded to include new higher-risk venues. Double dose proof of vaccination for those aged 16 and older will be required for:

• Visitors to public and private hospitals, and aged care facilities;
• All hospitality venues including restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, clubs, taverns, night clubs and dine-in fast food (roadhouses, service stations and takeaway is exempt);
• Indoor entertainment venues, including play centres, gaming and gambling, theatres, concert halls, museums, cinemas and live music venues;
• Bottle shops;
• The entire Crown Perth complex;
• Major stadiums (Optus Stadium; HBF Park; RAC Arena; and HBF Stadium - Main Arena)
• Gyms, fitness centres and health studios;
• Amusement parks and the Zoo; and
• Music festivals and large events with more than 500 people, unless exempt.

Importantly, community sport events, unless at one of the specific venues listed, are exempt from the proof of vaccination requirement.

Venues, staff and patrons will have a shared responsibility when it comes to proof of vaccination, with venues required to take reasonable steps to ensure all patrons are double dose vaccinated, or exempt.

Hosting events
Under current regulations, events involving more than 500 people and certain outdoor functions and gatherings require COVID Event Plans, Checklists and Guidelines to reduce the potential risk and spread of COVID-19.
If you are holding an event with more than 500 people but does not exceed 2,500, you will need to complete COVID Event Checklist.  If you are holding an event where the anticipated number of patrons is more than 2,500, a COVID Event Plan is required.

All events must still be registered with the Department of Health, and held or conducted in accordance with the completed COVID Event Plan or Checklist.

For more information relating to Events, please visit the SportWest COVID-19 Information Centre or https://www.wa.gov.au/government/document-collections/covid-19-coronavirus-events 

ServiceWA app launched
This week, the State Government launched the ServiceWA app to help West Australians connect with WA Government services. Initially, the ServiceWA app aims to assist the community during the COVID-19 transition, and aims to expand to include other services into the future. The ServiceWA app allows you to activate and access the following WA Government services in one place:

• SafeWA –for individuals checking in at WA businesses, venues and events.
• Import COVID-19 digital certificate – for secure presentation of your proof of vaccination or exemption on demand.
• G2G Pass – to access your travel passes when you travel into WA.

The ServiceWA app uses Digital Identity for an individual’s verification, meaning only you can access the app and its services. You will need to set up your Digital Identity before you can use the ServiceWA app.

The ServiceWA app is available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Mandatory vaccinations for workers
Some sporting occupations are impacted by the State Government’s mandatory vaccination policy and must have received their first dose by 31 December 2021 and be fully vaccinated by 31 January 2022.
These occupations include:

• Restaurant, pub, bar, café or fast food. For example: bar staff working a sporting club bar.
• School or boarding school (teachers and other support staff)*. For example, coaches and/or development staff attending schools to conduct training sessions and clinics.
• Building, maintenance or construction services. For example, ground staff and curators of sporting fields.
• Staff working in or entering remote Aboriginal communities. For example, development staff attending remote communities to conduct clinics and school/club visits. 

View the full list of impacted occupations

Sport & COVID-19 FAQs
The following FAQs have been developed received from the industry over recent weeks and answers to these questions are provided below.

Is an ad hoc volunteer who volunteers at a sporting club’s canteen once a week alongside full time canteen staff required to be vaccinated?

No, however this is subject to a proviso.  The Critical Businesses Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions defines “ad hoc” as no more than once per week so that volunteer would be excluded from the vaccination requirements, unless if in order to carry out activities or provide goods or services that volunteer is required to come within 1.5 metres of the other canteen staff. 

Can an office/admin worker (who does not perform any of the duties relating to a critical worker) enter the bar/food service area without being vaccinated. E.g. a sailing instructor meeting clients in the club restaurant?

Yes - The Critical Businesses Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions exclude visitors, guests and patrons to a critical business site from the vaccination requirements. 

Is a golf shop sales person required to be vaccinated if the shop they work in also sells cans of drink, chips, alcohol; but the sales person does not sell any of the food, only golf clubs?

Yes - Assuming the golf shop is located at a golfing club as opposed to a golf store in a retail setting. However, if the golf shop sales person is carrying on activities or providing goods and services in the golf shop in a shared area with the sale of food at the club, then the vaccination requirements of the Critical Businesses Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions apply to the golf shop sales person also.

The activities or goods and services provided that make a person a critical business worker are not restricted to the sale of food alone. Will full time greens keepers/maintenance staff be required to be vaccinated?
Full time greenkeepers/maintenance staff will need to comply with the vaccination requirements of the Critical Businesses Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions, if they carry out activities or provide goods and services of any kind at the part of the golf club that could be considered a critical hospitality premises, namely the part of the golf club that sells food.  However, they would not need to do if for example, they exclusively keep and maintain the outdoor golf course only and not the clubhouse canteen facilities.

Will clubs need to request POV for plumbers, electricians that attend on an adhoc basis (no more than once a week) to carry out repairs etc?

Ad hoc tradespersons are excluded from vaccination requirements unless, if in order to carry out activities or provide goods or services they have to come within 1.5 metres of a critical business worker at the critical hospitality premises. Also, if the tradespersons are only carrying out repairs, for example, to the outdoors golf course and not the clubhouse canteen, the vaccination requirements do not apply to them.

Do the following staff/volunteers in these settings need to be vaccinated? Kids holiday programs/clinics run by sporting clubs?

No, these are not covered by the mandatory vaccination directions.

Crèches within recreation centres and gyms (not regulated childcare centres)?

A creche is excluded from the definition of a child care service under Regulation 5(2)(e) of the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012, therefore it is not captured by the Directions.

Community sport and recreation clubs using a venue on school grounds for training after school hours and on weekends.

No, these are not covered by the mandatory vaccination directions.

If a school is using an external venue, would the venue staff be required to comply with the same Directions as if they were visiting a school?

No, the venue staff are not required to comply with the same directions as if they were visiting a school.

Are large community sport and recreation events, specifically at unticketed outdoor venues where spectators/public may gather away from any central point (e.g. the Busselton Ironman), covered under the proof of vaccination considerations?

These events are not presently covered by the Emergency Management Act 2005 COVID Restrictions (Gatherings and Related Measures) Directions (No 5) unless the event is a music event (gathering of more than 500 patrons which features the playing of recorded music or live performances involving singing or dancing for the purposes of entertainment and at which the playing of the music is the primary focus of the event).

In respect to this question, it is a decision for the Chief Health Officer and discussion will need to take place with the WA Police Force whether there is any intention to cover community sport and recreation events.