What is an Essential Business in Australia?
Those businesses that provide a service or product that is necessary for the health and well-being of the public are considered to be essential businesses.
Essential Businesses:
- Supermarkets and grocery stores.
- Medical centers.
- Pharmacies.
- Petrol stations.
- Waste industry.
- Utilities companies.
- Banks.
- New agencies.
- Post offices.
- Food delivery.
- Bottle shops.
- All those involved in frontline response.
Non-Essential Businesses:
- Registered and licensed clubs.
- Licensed premises in hotels and pubs.
- Casinos.
- Night clubs.
- Cinemas and entertainment venues.
- Auctions and open house inspections.
- Personal services, such as beauty therapy, tanning salons, massage parlors (excluding physiotherapy), and tattoo parlors.
- Outdoor and indoor markets.
- Amusement parks and arcades.
- Indoor and outdoor play centers.
- Galleries and museums.
- Libraries.
- Swimming pools.
- Gyms and indoor sports venues.
- Overseas travel.
- Some manufacturing.
- Administration.
Restrictions on Food and Drink Businesses During COVID-19:
Business | Restriction |
|---|---|
Cafes | Take away and home delivery services only. Cafes or canteens at hospitals, care homes, or schools as well as prison and military canteens could remain open. Services that provide food and drink to the homeless. Workplace canteens could only offer takeaway services. |
Food courts | Delivery and takeaway services only. |
Pubs and registered and licensed clubs | Only bottle shops attached to these venues could remain open. |
Restricted Businesses During COVID-19:
- Hairdressers and barbershops were restricted to 1 person per 4 square meters.
- Boot camps and personal training were restricted to 10 people.
- Restaurants, cafes, and food courts could only offer delivery and takeaway services.
- Places of worship could conduct weddings restricted to 5 people.
- Places of worship and funeral parlors could conduct funerals limited to 10 people, but exceptions were made in special circumstances that were determined by each state and territory.
- Visits to residential houses were limited to very small numbers of people.
- Concert venues, theatres, arenas, auditoriums, and stadiums could live stream performances by a small group if social distancing is observed.
- Community and recreation centers could remain open for essential voluntary or public services only, such as food banks or homeless services.
- Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan and camping parks, and boarding houses were restricted to permanent residents and workers or those who use them as interim abodes when their residences were not available.
- Retail businesses could continue to operate "click and collect" services and delivery services with strict safety protocols.
- Hardware stores could only do business with tradespeople.
Restrictions on Retail Businesses During COVID-19:
Business | Restriction |
|---|---|
Real estate auctions and open houses. | Private appointments for inspections only. |
Outdoor and indoor markets. | Food markets only, other types of markets were determined by each state and territory. |
Australia's States and Territories:
Each of Australia's states and territories was given autonomy to set restrictions and bans on non-essential businesses. While there were some exceptions that differ by state or territory, these businesses were asked to close for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak. Currently, all business typefaces are allowed to operate.
Australia's Capital Territory Restrictions During COVID-19
Business | Restriction |
|---|---|
Real estate auctions, display homes, and open house inspections. | Maximum of 100 people, including staff and homeowners, with one person per four square meters. People were discouraged from gathering in large groups. |
Cafes, restaurants, and licensed venues. | One person per four square meters, with a maximum of 100 patrons, excluding staff. Mingling among groups and dancing was not permitted. Alcohol was restricted to seated patrons in groups of no more than ten. Live bands had to be at least 1.5m distant from the patrons. All tables could be 1.5m apart. Self-serve buffets and communal snacks or condiments were not allowed. |
Gyms, boot camps, and personal training. | One person per four square meters and a maximum of 100 people, staff included. Communal facilities (such as changerooms) had to have a strict cleaning regime in place. Steam-based services, such as saunas, remained closed. |
Community sports and swimming pools. | One person per four square meters and a maximum of 100 people, including staff and spectators, per indoor or outdoor space. Strict cleaning regimes were in place. All steam-based activities remained closed. |
Beauty therapy, hairdressers, nail salons, and tattoo, spa, and massage parlors. | One person per four square meters and a maximum of 100 people. All steam-based services remained closed. All venues needed a COVID-19 safety plan. |
Weddings, funerals, and places of worship. | Up to 100 people with one person per four square meters. Choirs and musicians are included in the 100-person limit. |
Community and outdoor facilities and libraries. | One person per four square meters and a maximum of 100 people in each indoor or outdoor space. Recreational activities in national parks and reserves could continue with physical distancing. Certain parks and campgrounds are still closed due to ongoing bushfire recovery efforts. |
Entertainment, live performances, and arts and cultural activities. | One person per four square meters and a maximum of 100 people. COVID-safe measures must be in place. Performers remained at a distance of 1.5m from the audience. Tours needed to have a maximum of 20 people, excluding the guide, and could not run for longer than two hours. |
Casino, gaming, and gambling venues. | Had to remain closed until stage 3. |
Adult venues. | Had to remain closed until stage 3. |
Business | Restriction |
|---|---|
Hospitality venues (clubs, cafes, restaurants, micro-breweries, casinos, cellar doors, small bars, and pubs). | Max 10 people per booking or group entering premises. Alcohol could only be consumed by seated patrons. Only one person per square meter with a maximum of 300 people per venue or separate area is permitted. |
Corporate events. | Only one person per four square meters with a maximum of 150 people is permitted. |
Holiday homes and rentals. | Up to 20 people could stay in a holiday home or rental, but more are if they were members of the same household. |
Outdoor public gatherings. | No more than 20 people. |
Community sports, gyms, fitness classes, and major recreation facilities. | A maximum of 20 people per class or gym. Community sporting activities could not exceed 500 people. Major recreation facilities could operate up to 25% capacity, or 10,000 people if each person is assigned a seating area. |
Funerals and memorial services. | One person per four square meters with a maximum of 100 people. Crematoria, funeral homes, and places of worship had to be registered as COVID Safe. |
Places of worship and religious gatherings. | One person per four square meters with a maximum of 100 people. The maximum person limit included places where men and women worship separately. All places of worship had to be registered as COVID Safe. Weddings were also subject to the 100-person limit. |
Music festivals and nightclubs. | Currently open. |
Queensland Non-Essential Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic:
Business | Restriction |
|---|---|
Retail food services. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. No buffets. |
Food courts. | Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Auctions, real estate auctions, and open house inspections. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Beauty and personal care services. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Non-therapeutic massage and water-based spa services. | Had to have an approved COVID Safe Checklist. |
Licensed venues and community centers. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. No buffets. |
Drive-in cinemas. | People had to remain in their cars as much as possible. |
Casino, gaming, and gambling venues. | Had to have an approved COVID Safe Checklist. Food and drink could be served to seated patrons. Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. No buffets. |
Major sports facilities. | Could operate up to 50% of their seated venue capacity with a maximum of 25,000 spectators. |
Indoor and outdoor events. | Had to comply with an approved COVID Safe Checklist. Events with more than 500 people had to notify the local public health unit at least 10 days beforehand. |
Theme parks, amusement parks, arcades, and indoor play areas. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Boot camps and personal training, gyms, health clubs, fitness centers, yoga studios, spin facilities, and dance classes. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Indoor sporting centers and venues and swimming pools. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas, applicable to spectators but not to the teams playing on the field. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Hostels, B&Bs, backpackers, boarding houses, and short-term rentals. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. Must collect contact information. |
Caravan and camping grounds, zoos, aquariums, and wildlife centers. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Galleries, museums, historic sites, and state and local government libraries. | Limited to one person per four square meters, regardless of the size of the venue. |
Community facilities. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Weddings and funerals. | Limited to a maximum of 100 people. |
Universities and higher education institutions. | Limited to one person per four square meters. |
Professional and elite sports. | No person limitations but could operate in compliance with a COVID Safe Checklist. |
Nightclubs. | Limited to one person per two square meters for small areas and one person per four square meters for larger areas. Had to operate for seated patrons only. The dance floor must remain closed for physical distancing. |
Adult entertainment venues. | Could only operate in compliance with an approved COVID Safe Plan. |
South Australia Restricted and Excluded Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic:
All businesses may operate but must follow strict COVID-19 safety protocols.
Tasmania's Business Restrictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic:
All businesses in Tasmania are allowed to operate as long as they follow the best practice guidelines.
Western Australia's Restrictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic:
All businesses may now operate as long as they adhere to the approved COVID-Safety Plans, which could be continuously updated.
What is an Essential Worker in Australia?