The NSW Roadmap to Freedom for the fully vaccinated has a serious discrepancy regarding weddings and funerals
To quote relevant sections from the media release
Hospitality venues can reopen subject to one person per 4sqm inside and one person per 2sqm outside, with standing while drinking permitted outside.
Indoor entertainment and information facilities including cinemas, theatres, music halls, museums and galleries can reopen with one person per 4sqm or 75 per cent fixed seated capacity.
So while function venues are not specifically mentioned one would assume they fall under hospitality venues, and then…
Churches and places of worship to open subject to one person per 4sqm rule, with no singing.
However…
Up to 50 guests can attend weddings, with dancing permitted and eating and drinking only while seated.
Up to 50 guests can attend funerals, with eating and drinking while seated.
So under the 4sqm rule large churches could have hundreds of attendees at a religious service – except if it is a wedding or funeral. And the same for function centres.
The AFR has also reported on this situation quoting Doltone House executive chairman Paul Signorelli
Under the government plan, the company’s 1000-person function centre in Pyrmont, just west of the city, will be allowed to host corporate events of 250-to-300 vaccinated people, but weddings in the same venue will be limited to 50.
“It is ridiculous on a Friday we can do 300 people for a corporate dinner and the next day a wedding is capped at 50. How do we open up when it is unviable? There is no demand for weddings of 50 people. Families will just postpone it.”
ASE has reached out to the Health Minister Brad Hazzard’s office, who advised us …
The only info we can refer to at the moment is the MR by the Premier. Once the relevant health orders are finalised, closer to the date, then we will be in a position to release more info.
John Barilaro took credit for drafting the “roadmap” over the weekend so we tried to call his office; however his parliamentary office phone is not being answered and we only received an automated response to email.
Other aspects of the announcement we asked for clarification on include…
Hospitality venues at 4 sqm rule indoors and 2 sqm outdoors with standing while drinking permitted outside is clear. However do patrons have to remain seated indoors?
- What about nightclubs and cabaret venues?
- Is live music allowed (indoors or outdoors) and do the singers have to wear a mask?
Major outdoor stadiums (assume this means sporting stadiums) and racecourses – 4 sqm capped at 5000 pax – do the patrons have to be seated or can they roam around?
Can a music concert for 5,000 patrons be held at a major outdoor stadium?
What is the difference between a “seated outdoor event” (500 pax) and an “outdoor stadium” (5,000)?
If an event was held in The Domain does sitting on the grass count as seated and what is the limit? If it is a free event does the venue have to be fenced so patrons can be checked for their vax status?
Then there are a lot of questions regarding sign in and snap lockdowns
Currently a venue is responsible for enforcing QR sign ins.
- What are the guidelines for enforcing the No Vax – No Entry policy?
- Do the police have to be called if a patron does not comply?
- Will there be spot checks to ensure everyone in the venue has complied?
- What are the penalties if a venue has not complied with capacity limits and ensuring all patrons are vaccinated?
New lockdowns – how much notice will venue managers or event organisers get before an LGA is shut down again? Will it be immediate as was the case with Bluesfest?
What compensation will be available to events that are shut down at very short notice?
When will the 80% vaxxed rules be announced?
The government has a lot of work to do on this “roadmap” and the event industry needs clarity in order to plan ahead
Comment on this article