Sports and events back on the cards for Australians as COVID-19 rules relax
June 12, 2020 10:40AM
Small sports stadiums with capacities 40,000 seats or less will be allowed to reopen to crowds in July.
The venues will be allowed to sell 10,000 ticketed seats per event, with social distancing measures in place around bars and food outlets.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said larger stadiums, including all of the major AFL grounds, were an entirely separate issue.
He said bigger grounds presented unique challenges around access points and public transport crushes, which required much more significant work.
The chief medical officer will consider reopening larger stadiums on a case-by- case basis.
The rule relaxation will also apply to big arts and cultural venues along with ticketed and seated outdoor festivals.
It will not extend to music festivals where people roam from tent to tent.
International students may be able to travel to Australia as early as next month.
The Prime Minister also said authorities were working to allow students to travel to Australia on a pre-approved plan with particular institutions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the appropriate quarantine entry requirements and biosecurity measures would have to be in place.
“I would hope to be in a position to do pilots next month,” he told reporters on Friday.
The plan is contingent on state borders, with Mr Morrison telling premiers their own borders must be open before international students can arrive.
“If you want to open up borders for international students, then you have to open up borders for Australians,” he said.
Mr Morrison said he’s not concerned that Chinese students will be deterred from coming to Australia, after Beijing warned about racist attacks.
However, he said there is still work to do before any international students can arrive.
“I’m not suggesting this is going to happen soon,” he said.
“We’ve received some very, I think, well thought-through proposals from states as to how this can be done, particularly here in the ACT.”
Australia’s borders have been closed to non-citizens and non-residents since March.
Opening borders for travellers is expected to be one of the final measures taken as coronavirus restrictions are eased.
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