SARTA frustrated at lack of consultation and seeks review following change of Direction
South Australia, the state with one of the ‘hardest’ borders in the Commonwealth and best anti-Covid-19 performances, has adjusted its transit controls, with a tweak that affects truck drivers.
But the move is facing stiff opposition from the South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA), particularly over new burdens on truck drivers.
“SARTA has sought an urgent review of this Direction and an explanation of the basis for the distinction being made between the categories of Essential Travellers who are exempted from this Record Keeping requirement and those, including truck drivers, who aren’t exempted,” it says in a social media post.
The Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel No 3) (COVID-19) Direction 2020 has been revoked and replaced by the Emergency Management (Cross Border Travel No 4) (COVID-19) Direction2020 with effect from today.
The new direction now introduces a number of changes regarding persons considered to be essential travellers, a term which encompasses truck drivers.
Drivers will continue to escape self-quarantining rules but passengers will not and drivers will need to download an Essential Traveller Close Contact Record form.
Read about South Australia’s original border controls, here
“An essential traveller must now keep records of close contacts for a 14 day period commencing on the date of their arrival in South Australia (or, if they remain in South Australia for a period of less than 14 days, for that period),” the South Australian Police force says.
“A person is a close contact of another person if they are in the company of the other person —
(i) within an enclosed space for a period of 2 hours or longer; or
(ii) within 1.5 metres of the other person for a period of 15 minutes or longer; and
The records that are required to be kept in relation to a close contact are —
(i) the name and phone number or other contact details of the close contact and the location at which the close contact occurred; or
(ii) if the details are not known and it is not reasonably practicable to obtain those details—the time during which and location at which the close contact occurred.
“The records must be retained for a period of 28 days from the end of the period for which the records must be kept and be provided to an authorised officer on request.”
According to state government documents, those under ‘essential traveller’ provisions include: “Persons who, in the conduct of their duties, provide transport or freight services into, within and out of South Australia (including any crew on such transport or freight services) and are required to be physically present in South Australia for such purposes.”
However, those who claim essential traveller status may be required to provide evidence that it is justified.
The updated direction can be found here.
All existing directions, frequently asked questions and other information can be found here.