COVID-19 Updates - 28th July, 2021

4:30pm, 28th July, 2021

Member clubs are advised that earlier today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced increases to the COVID-19 Disaster Payment.

As per the changes, the following amounts will apply to payments processed from the week commencing 2 August 2021:

Eligible workers who lose 20 hours or more of work are entitled to $750 per week (increased from $600)
Eligible workers who lose between eight and 20 hours of work per week are entitled to $450 per week (increased from $375).
Further information on the COVID-19 Disaster Payment can be found in Circular 21-122 and 21-126.

The COVID-19 Disaster Payment is available to club employees across NSW who have lost income in connection with the lockdown or restrictions, and have lost at least eight hours (or a full day) of work.

The Australian Government is also extending the COVID-19 Disaster Payment to people already receiving income support through Services Australia. People receiving income support are entitled to $200 per week of the COVID-19 Disaster Payment if they lose more than eight hours of work.

Four-Week Extension to the Lockdown

The lockdown is being extended for four weeks until 12:01am on Saturday, 28 August. The areas in which clubs are required to close for on-premises activities has not changed — the areas include the local government areas (LGAs) of Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour. Clubs in ‘Greater Sydney’ may continue to provide takeaway food and beverages, as well as operate accommodation facilities.

The NSW Government’s decision to extend the lockdown is due to sustained high levels of community transmission of COVID-19.

Expansion of JobSaver

The size and eligibility of JobSaver is being substantially increased, such that:

Clubs with revenue of up to $250 million in 2020-21 are now eligible, and
The maximum level of assistance has been increased from $10,000 to $100,000 per week.

Restricted Mobility of Workers Expanded

The NSW Government has expanded the list of LGAs from which non-essential workers cannot leave. These LGAs now include Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Cumberland, Blacktown, Georges River, Parramatta and Campbelltown.

This means that people residing in these LGAs cannot leave the LGA to work in a club to do maintenance and upkeep activities including cleaning. However, residents in these LGAs may leave the LGA to work in takeaway food and beverage operations at the club. While residents of Canterbury-Bankstown may leave the LGA to work in takeaway food and beverage, from this Saturday, 31 July the club must verify that the person has been tested for COVID-19 in the previous three days.

People living outside these eight LGAs may work in a club inside one of the eight LGAs to do work which cannot be performed from home, including maintenance and upkeep activities. Residents of the LGAs may work in the club if the club is in the same LGA as their residence and the work cannot be performed from home.

Construction and Other Works in Clubs Permitted

Clubs outside the eight aforementioned LGAs may resume any construction activity from this Saturday, 31 July. However, workers residing in one of the eight LGAs are not permitted to do any construction work in the club. Construction work cannot occur in clubs located in one of the eight LGAs.

Trade workers residing in one of the eight LGAs are similarly prohibited from performing any repair, alteration or maintenance activities inside the club, even if the work does not amount to ‘construction work’.

Changes to COVID-19 Disaster Payment

The NSW Treasurer foreshadowed in the press conference that, later today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce an expansion of the COVID-19 Disaster Payment.