Call for clearer path out of SA's COVID-19 State of Emergency

Member for Narungga Fraser Ellis is calling for more clarity about the path out of South Australia’s COVID-19 State of Emergency.

“We have now been living under extended Major Emergency Declarations since April 2020,” Mr Ellis said.

“We still have small regional pubs struggling with capacity, small business and volunteer community groups struggling to enforce QR code check-ins and community events operating under extremely onerous SA Health COVID management plans.

“More clarity is needed about the milestones we need to be hit before we can return to normal life.

“The vaccine is rolling out; SA has administered over 420,000 doses to date, and we are well on the way to herd immunity.

“Ending the State of Emergency doesn’t mean that COVID-19 ceases to be an issue, it still will be, but it does mean that the situation is no longer an emergency.

“The restrictions have served us well and ensured that South Australia remains the safest place in the world, but it is time we made a plan for a path out.

“Considering regional South Australia has not had an outbreak over the duration of the emergency but has been subjected to the same restrictions as metro areas, perhaps a plan to remove restrictions in regional SA is a good place to start.”