STAY AT HOME RULES IN COVID-19

The purpose of the Stay at Home Rules is to address the serious public health risk posed to Victoria by COVID-19.

These directions of the Victorian Government require everyone in Victoria to limit their interactions with others by restricting the circumstances in which they may leave the premises where they ordinarily reside, and by imposing restrictions on gatherings of people.

The directions were introduced by the Victorian Government from midnight on 30 March 2020 and currently remain valid until midnight on 11 May 2020.

Further details and updates on information contained within this can be located HERE

STAY AT HOME RULES
Direction – Requirement to stay at home
A person must not leave the premises where they ordinarily reside other than for one or more of the following reasons:

• To obtain necessary goods or services;
• For care of other compassionate reasons;
• For work and education;
• For exercise;
• For other specified reasons.

Ordinary place of residence
A person may have more than one ordinary place of residence and, if so, is able to more freely between those places. For more information on place of residence see page 2 of the Stay at Home Directions.

RESTRICTIONS ON GATHERINGS
Indoor gatherings
A person must not enter any single undivided indoor space unless:

• no other person is in that space;
• only one other person is in that space;
• more than one person is in that space, but all of those other persons ordinarily reside at the same premises as the person.

The above does not apply if the person enters the space for the purposes of attending a wedding, funeral, or for one or more of the specified reasons for leaving home (see Stay at home rules).

A person must not permit another person to enter their place of residence, unless:

• the other person also ordinarily resides at the premises; or
• the person is residing at the premises in accordance with the Isolation (Diagnosis) Direction; or
• it is necessary for the other person to enter the premises for one or more of the purposes related to care and compassionate reasons, or work and education; or
• it is necessary for the other person to enter for the purposes of attending a private inspection of the premises; or
• it is necessary for the other person to enter for medical or emergency purposes; or
• the entry is otherwise required by law.

An 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 permanent/temporary or open/closed.

A definition of ‘premises’ includes land (whether or not vacant), the whole or any part of a building, tent, stall or other structure (whether of a permanent or temporary nature), a pontoon, a vehicle, or a caravan or camper-trailer.

Outdoor gatherings
A person must not arrange to meet with more than one other person in an outdoor space except:

• where each other person ordinarily resides in the same premises; or
• for the purpose of attending a wedding or funeral; or
• it is necessary to arrange a meeting for one or more of the purposes related to care and compassionate reasons, or work and education.
• An outdoor space means a space that is not an indoor space.

REASONS TO LEAVE A PREMISES
Leaving a premises to obtain necessary goods or services
A person may leave the premises to obtain:

• food or drink; or
• good and service for health or medical purposes; or
• other necessary goods and services including, but not limited to, goods or services provided by a financial institution, government body/agency, post office, pharmacy, hardware store, petrol station, pet store or veterinary clinic, or a retail facility that is not prohibited from operating under the Restricted Activity Direction.

Leaving a premises for care and compassionate reasons
A person may leave the premises to:

• meet obligations in relation to a shared parenting arrangement;
• for a parent/guardian of a child to visit a child in detention or in the care of another person,
• for a parent/guardian of a child to meet any obligations in relation to the care and support of that child;
• for a parent/guardian of a child to take the child to another person’s premises for the purpose of that other person providing child-minding assistance, so that the parent/guardian can:

1.                do one of the things specified as a reason to leave a premises, or
2.                 to work or obtain educational services from their own premises

• to provide childcare or education to a child or young person who is deemed vulnerable by a government agency or because they reside in the care of the State;
• to provide care or support to a relative or other person who has particular needs because of age, infirmity, disability, illness, a chronic health condition, or because of matters relating to the other person’s health (including mental health or pregnancy);
• to attend a residential aged care facility if attendance is not prohibited by the Aged Care Facilities Directions;
• to attend a hospital if that attendance is not prohibited by Hospital Visitors Directions;
• to attend a funeral or wedding;
• to donate blood;
• to escape harm or risk of harm, including harm relating to family violence or violence of another person at the premises;
• to visit a person with whom they are in an intimate personal relationship;
• to provide child-minding assistance so that a parent/guardian can:

1.                leave their own premises to do one of the things specified as a reason to leave a premises; or
2.                to work or obtain educational services from their own premises.

Leaving a premises to attend work and education:
A person may leave the premises to:

• attend work (paid or voluntary), or
• attend an educational institution; or
• do anything necessary to attend that work or educational institution including, but not limited to, taking children to:

1.                child care, an early childhood educational facility, a school or another educational facility, or
2.                another person’s premises for child-minding, as permitted under the reasons for leaving a premises for care and compassionate reasons.

A person may only leave the premises for under the above scenarios if it is not practicable for the person to work or obtain educational services from home.

Leaving a premises for exercise:
A person may leave the premises for exercise[1], but must:

• comply with restrictions on gatherings; and
• take reasonable steps to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from all other persons.

[1] The Victorian Chief Health Officer clarified on 2 April that “all recreational activities beyond basic exercise are not allowed”. For more information see the Restricted Activity Directions here

Leaving a premises for other reasons:

A person may leave the premises in the following circumstances:

• for emergency purposes;
• as required by law, including, but not limited to attending a police station, a court, or other premises for purposes relating to the justice or law enforcement.
• if the premises in which the person ordinarily resides is no longer available/suitable for the person to reside in;
• for the purposes of moving to a new premises at which the person will ordinarily reside;
• if the person ordinarily resides outside Victoria, for the purposes of leaving Victoria;
• if the person is permitted to leave Australia, for the purposes of leaving Australia;
• if the person ordinarily resides at more than one premises, for the purpose of moving between premises