Australian Hotels Association (Western Australia) has welcomed the news that WA restrictions will ease to Phase 4 on Saturday,
The relaxed WA restrictions include:
- All existing gathering limits and the 100/300 rule removed
- Gathering limits now only determined by WA’s reduced 2sqm rule
- The 2sqm rule will only include staff at venues that hold more than 500 patrons
- Removal of seated service requirements at food businesses and licensed premises
- No requirement to maintain patron register at food businesses and licensed premises
- Alcohol can be served as part of unseated service arrangements;
- All events permitted except for large scale, multi-stage music festivals
- Unseated performances permitted at venues such as concert halls, live music venues, bars, pubs and nightclubs
- The casino gaming floor reopening under agreed temporary restrictions.
“Also from Saturday our major sport and entertainment venues will be able to operate under a 50% capacity rule,” Premier Mark McGowan explained.
He said this meant up to 30,000 people for Perth’s biggest sporting venue, Perth Stadium.
However, WA’s borders will remain closed.
AHA WA CEO Bradley Woods said: “WA Premier Mark McGowan and his Government are to be congratulated for achieving a world-class outcome for the state.
“The success WA has enjoyed in containing the spread of COVID-19 places the state in the lead at relaxing restrictions and returning our industry to normal, sooner than expected.”
“The removal of capacity restrictions will see many venues able to trade at a level that is almost back to normal and secure many more thousands of jobs.”
“Scrapping the requirement to maintain a patron register and removing seated requirements while eating or drinking is a major step in the right direction and will free up venues and their staff.”
“The ability to restart live music events and facilitate unseated performances is welcome relief for many venues and the broader entertainment industry.”
“WA’s hospitality venues have played a leading role in containing COVID-19 but it has come at a heavy cost – today’s announcement of Phase 4 restrictions will be warmly welcomed by WA’s hotels, bars, pubs, restaurants and taverns, who can now operate in a far more viable way.”
“While there is a growing urgency to re-opening WA’s interstate borders, there is a significant and rising threat posed in Victoria, so the reluctance to prematurely bring down the hard border is understandable.”
“The AHA has worked tirelessly with the WA Government since the first restrictions were imposed and commend Premier McGowan, Minister Paul Papalia and Minister Roger Cook for their close engagement.”
Pictured main: The Grosvenor Hotel
