What Coronavirus Restrictions Change From 1 June

The first of June marks a new month and a new season but this year, it will also mark the start of what feels like freedom for many — a major easing of coronavirus restrictions in some parts of Australia.

Since mid-March, Australians have been encouraged — and at times, mandated — to stay at home unless absolutely necessary. Going to the beach or getting brunch with friends was off the cards and even weekend trips to Bunnings and IKEA, while permitted, were frowned upon unless necessary.

From 1 June, much of Australia will begin to return to a semblance of what it was before the major shutdowns began. Pubs and restaurants will be allowed to host more than just a handful of people and taking a weekend road trip will once again be an option.

Of course, the threat of coronvirus hasn't magically vanished. Even as authorities allow public events and venues to open their doors once more, physical distancing and rigorous personal hygiene will be pushed in order to limit the possibility of a second wave.

For now, however, the changes will be a welcome reprieve and a chance to shed some of the anxiety that comes with being locked up at home in the name of public good. With that in mind, here's what we'll now be able to do from 1 June.

The restrictions that lift from 1 June

NSW

Despite being the worst-affected state during the peak of Australia's coronavirus outbreak, NSW has recorded very low daily infection numbers even with restrictions lifting in mid-May. As a result, changes from 1 June will allow:

• outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people
• cafes and restaurants can seat 50 patrons at any one time
• pubs and clubs can seat 50 for sit-down meals and alcohol can be served
• beauty and nail salon operators can have up to 10 clients
• up to 5 visitors to a household at any one time rule remains
• weddings up to 20 guests
• indoor funerals up to 20 mourners, outdoor funerals up to 50
• religious gatherings/places of worship up to 50 worshippers
• use of outdoor equipment remains open with caution
• outdoor pools remain open with restrictions
• museums, galleries and libraries
• regional travel restrictions within the state are lifted

Victoria

Victoria initially hesitated when the federal government made its recommendation to start easing restrictions. However, things have changed and from a minute before 1 June, Victorians will be able to go on holidays around the state and start up community sports again.

Here's the list of what Victorians can do from 11.59pm on 31 May:

• Up to 20 seated patrons per enclosed space
• Have gatherings indoors and outdoors of up to 20 people in your home at any one time, including the members of your household
• Libraries and community facilities are permitted to open, with no more than 20 people allowed in each separate space
• You will be able to stay in a holiday home, private residence or tourist accommodation, including caravan parks and camping grounds
• Up to 20 people can participate in outdoor group sport and exercise activities
• Indoor and outdoor swimming pools can be opened to a maximum of 20 patrons per swimming pool with a limit of three persons per lane in each pool
• Galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, outdoor amusement parks, zoos and arcades can have up to 20 customers per separate space
• Beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons, spas, tattoo parlours and massage parlours can now open with up to 20 patrons
• Up to 20 people in a single undivided indoor space for religious ceremonies
• 20 people in addition to the celebrant and couple being married can attend a wedding
• 50 people can attend an outdoor funeral in addition to the officiant and funeral staff while the limit remains at 20 for funerals held in a home

Queensland

In Queensland, nothing changes on 1 June. You'll have to wait until 12 June for the next phase of restrictions to be lifted. For the moment, that will include:

• Gatherings of up to 20 people:

     •  homes
     •  public spaces and lagoons (e.g. South Bank Parklands, Cairns, Airlie Beach etc)
     •  non-contact indoor and outdoor community sport
     •  personal training
     •  gyms, health clubs and yoga studios
     •  pools (indoor and outdoor) and community sports clubs
     •  museums, art galleries and historic sites
     •  weddings
     •  parks, playground equipment, skate parks and outdoor gyms
     •  libraries
     •  hiking, camping and other recreational activities in national and state parks
     •  places of worship and religious ceremonies

• Funerals (max 50)
• Recreational travel, camping and accommodation, including caravan parks (max 250kms within your region)

For businesses, those 12 June lift in restrictions will mean:

• Retail shopping

     •  20 people permitted at any one time for:
     •  dining in (with COVID SAFE Checklist): restaurants, cafés, pubs, registered and licensed clubs, RSL clubs, hotels and casinos – no bars or gaming
     •  indoor cinemas
     •  open homes and auctions
     •  outdoor amusement parks, tourism experiences, zoos and arcades
     •  concert venues, theatres, arenas, auditoriums and stadiums

• beauty therapy, nail salons, tanning, tattoo parlours and spas (with COVID Safe Checklist)
• School holidays – drive holiday in your region – Queenslanders backing Queensland Tourism accommodation

Tasmania

For Tasmanians, life won't be changing too much at all from 1 June. Instead, 15 June is considered the date where things will begin to noticeably re-open.

When that comes around, a fortnight after 1 June, here's what'll change:

• Gatherings increase to 20 people at a time for indoor and outdoor, including restaurants/cafes, cinemas, museums, galleries, theatres, performance venues, historic sites, religious gatherings and weddings.
• Visitors to households to be reviewed.
• Funerals up to 50 people.
• Accommodation, unlimited.
• Camping, overnight boating and shacks open with up to 20 people.
• Open homes and auctions can resume with 20 people.
• Border controls remain in place.
• Gyms and boot camps for up to 20 people.
• Beauty services (including tattoo, nails, waxing, facials and tanning and massage) for up to 20 people.
• Day spas to reopen
• Park exercise equipment and playgrounds open for up to 20 people.
• Outdoor community sport to resume, with up to 20 athletes/personnel (as guided by AIS proposed framework for rebooting community sport).
• Indoor sport and recreation, including pools with up to 20 people (as guided by AIS proposed framework for rebooting community sport).
• Vulnerable people are encouraged to stay home and protect their health.

South Australia

South Australia has seen just a few cases of coronavirus over the past month, recording only two cases in May so far.

Because of this success, South Australia will be lifting restrictions even further from 1 June. That will mean a maximum of 80 can be in a venue and any "separate room or area may have a maximum of 20 people".

The following services will now re-open too:

• Hospitality (seated at a table) at restaurants, cafes, wineries, pubs, breweries, bars
• Cinemas, theatres, galleries and museums
• Beauty, nails, tattoo, non-therapeutic massage
• Driving instruction lessons
• Gyms and indoor fitness (10 participants per class)
• Funerals (50 max room limit)
• Non-contact outdoor sport (competition) (20 max participants)
• Non-contact indoor sport and indoor recreation activities (20 max per room; group classes 10 max participants)

Western Australia

Western Australia is waiting a few more days before it enters its third and second last phase on 6 June.

It will see a major re-opening of public spaces allowing for up to 100 people at gatherings. The list includes:

• non-work indoor and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people per single undivided space, up to 300 people in total per venue over multiple spaces (100/300 rule)
• weddings and funerals up to 100 people
• food businesses and licensed premises may operate but only with seated service
• alcohol may be served without a meal at licensed premises (patrons must be seated)
• food courts can reopen with a seated service
• all beauty services including nail, tanning and waxing salons can resume
• saunas, bath houses, wellness centres, float centres, spa and massage may reopen (100/300 rule)
• gyms, health clubs, indoor sports centres will be able to offer the normal range of activities, including use of all gym equipment (gyms must be staffed at all times and undertake regular cleaning)
• contact sport and training
• playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor gym equipment are permitted to be used
• galleries, museums, theatres, auditoriums, cinemas and concert venues can reopen (during any performance, the patrons must be seated. (100/300 rule)
• Perth Zoo to open with no patron limit for the whole venue (the 100/300 rule applies to indoor spaces and cafés/restaurants)
• wildlife and amusement parks can reopen (100/300 rule)
• arcades (including pool/snooker, ten pin bowling, Timezone), skate rinks and indoor play centres (100/300 rule)
• Rottnest island will reopen to the public
• Facilities may increase capacity to 100 patrons in each room, up to 300 per venue.
• Travel will be permitted throughout Western Australia, including into the Kimberley region, but access into remote Aboriginal communities will remain prohibited.
• TABs and Pub TABs may reopen for the purpose of betting and watching events and racing.
• Crown Casino gaming floor for the purpose of gambling to remain closed during phase 3.

From 29 May, however, regional travel restrictions were removed with the exception of much of the remote north-eastern region of the state. That means you'll now be able to take a day trip or weekend holiday without being restricted to state zones like before.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory has managed to largely avoid the brunt of a coronavirus outbreak having under 50 cases in total since the outbreak began. Because of this, it will move into its final phase of easing the lockdowns from 5 June, which will see almost everything return to normal apart from events with 500 or more. Those will still need prior permission and a COVID-19 Safety Plan.

It should be noted, non-residents aren't allowed to enter the territory without a mandated 14-day quarantine unless you're deemed an essential worker. That's set to be lifted from 15 June so you'll need to delay any plans to travel there until then.

From 5 June, the third and final stage for now will re-open even more services and venues.

• Operate all licensed gaming activities including a TAB.
• Resume officiating, participating and supporting the playing of team sports such as football, basketball, soccer and netball.
• Attend any cinema or theatre, concert hall, music hall, dance hall, nightclub or any other similar entertainment venue in approved configuration.
• Attend an amusement venue.
• Attend a bar without food being consumed.
• Operate and access all previously restricted services at a place that provides beauty therapy and/or cosmetic services including facial care.
• Operate and access all previously restricted services at a place that provides tattooing or body art such as branding and piercing.
• Attend an amusement park, community centre, recreation centre or play centre.
• Attend an arena, stadium, sporting facility including community and sporting competitions with spectators in approved seating configuration. However, if above 500 people the event requires a separately approved COVID-19 Safety Plan.
• All businesses, facilities and services previously restricted can now resume ensuring adherence to key principles.

Australian Capital Territory

The ACT will get a few days' headstart on NSW and Victoria, easing things up from 11.59pm on Friday 29 May 2020.

It includes:

• gyms, health clubs, fitness and wellness centres (including yoga, barre, pilates and spin facilities) can reopen with up to 20 people per enclosed space at one time if they can follow physical distancing
• lifting of restrictions on indoor social sport to allow up to 20 people per enclosed space and ensuring there is low contact and limited sharing of equipment
• reopening of galleries, museums and national institutions with groups of no more than 20 people with physical distancing of one person per 4 square metres
• reopening of outdoor attractions such as the National Zoo and Aquarium and Cockington Green to allow groups of no more than 20 people (including children) with physical distancing of 1.5 metres
• reopening of beauty salons and other personal services such as waxing, nail, tattoo and massage services, with a maximum of 20 people in the salons, or physical distancing of one person per 4 square metres, whichever is smaller
• further easing restrictions on cafés, restaurants and other hospitality venues to allow up to 20 patrons per enclosed space or outdoor area if they can abide by physical distancing of one person per 4 square metres and put specific measures in place to manage personal contact.

As always, just because you can go into a crowded venue doesn't necessarily mean you should. It's important to practice good judgement and hygiene and if a place looks packed, reconsider your need visit. Coronavirus will be with us for a long time so if we can do our best to avoid another wave of infections, we'll be able to continue these little freedoms.