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Sustainable economic policies: Viable outcomes for all stakeholders
Macroeconomic Policy Division
Tony McDonald
Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Sustainable economic policies: Viable outcomes for all stakeholders 144.77 KB
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss these issues with you today.
This session is intended to "provide an open forum for honest discussion about what works, what needs to be considered and ultimately what fails".
It can sometimes be forgotten, but we should not forget that Australia has been more successful than most countries in successfully implementing economic reform.
So I would like to start my remarks by briefly recapping the Australian reform story.
Australia's reform story1
The market-based reforms of the past thirty years interacted in mutually reinforcing ways, fundamentally transforming Australia's system of economic governance.
To recap, in the 1970s, Australia had highly regulated labour and product markets. The economy was insular, with high levels of industry protection. Furthermore, the inflexible institutional arrangements, such as the wage-fixing system, propagated external price shocks into generalised inflationary pressures. As a result Australia experienced poor economic performance during the 1970s and 1980s. Moreover, our relative performance had been declining since the 1950s.
By the 1980s it was increasingly recognised that the status quo would result in continued relative decline of Australia's living standards and that a change in direction was required.
The next three decades were a period of reforms that were significant in both their size and scope.
There were important macroeconomic reforms, particularly the shift in the focus of fiscal policy to medium term framework emphasizing sustainability,2 and the shift to monetary policy being set by an independent central bank operating with a medium term inflation target.3
There has also widespread microeconomic reforms to the tax and financial systems, product, labour and financial markets.
While there were debates about the speed and extent of reform, in general the reforms received support across the political spectrum.
The reforms had a number of common elements. First, they reduced transaction costs. Second, the reforms improved the flexibility of the economy. Third, the reforms meant that prices better reflect the true cost of production and relative prices better reflect product transformation costs. As a result, Australian economic agents are more responsive to changes in the economy, because prices are more accurate signals of these changes.
Finally, these reforms have meant that Australian economic agents now have better information about what to expect in the future. This is due to the creation of forward markets, as well as the credible anchoring of expectations by macroeconomic policy frameworks. Overall, the reforms have improved the efficiency of resource allocation in Australia.
Political Economy of Reform
The divergent reform experiences of different developed countries over recent decades highlights the fundamental importance of the issue of the political economy of reform – that is, how to actually make reform happen.
This is an area where the OECD has done extensive work, using its comparative advantage in comparing the experience of member countries.4 From this analysis a number of basic principles have underpinned successful implementation of reforms, including:5
Policy should be underpinned by solid research and analysis;
Successful structural reforms take considerable time to implement;
Effective communication by governments is important;
Government leadership is essential; and
Successful reform requires persistence.
This is an imposing list – and reminds us that successfully implementing reform is difficult. But, as noted above, we should not forget that Australia has been more successful than most over recent decades. So it is possible.
I would like to focus on the first of these principles – the importance of solid evidence and analysis for successful economic reform.
The importance of evidence for successful economic reform6
The Australian reform experience since the 1980s shows the importance of evidence-based policy.
Providing evidence of the potential and actual net benefits of reform is crucial in building and maintaining public support for reform.
One of the key lessons from Australia's reform experience is the need to remind people of the benefits of reform, so that the focus is not solely on costs of reform. This is particularly important, as the costs of reform tend to occur in the short term and can be concentrated on relatively small groups, while benefits tend to materialise in the medium to long term and be widely spread across the community.
Evidence is also important in highlighting the costs in not undertaking reform, which can help to mobilise broader support for reform.
For example, the work of the Productivity Commission and its predecessors over many years in highlighting the impact of manufacturing tariff protection on the costs of the mining and agriculture sector was important in spurring these industries to support and lobby for trade liberalisation.7
Policy Advice and Treasury's Wellbeing Framework
Treasury's mission statement is to:
improve the wellbeing of the Australian people by providing sound and timely advice to the Government, based on objective and thorough analysis of options, and by assisting Treasury Ministers in the administration of their responsibilities and the implementation of Government decisions.
So, how, then, do these perspectives influence Treasury's policy advice? Nearly a decade ago, this question led to work to develop a "wellbeing framework".8 I don't have time to go through it fully this afternoon, but in brief it has five key elements or dimensions:
the level of freedom and opportunity that people enjoy;
the aggregate level of consumption possibilities;
the distribution of consumption possibilities;
the level of risk that people are required to bear; and
the level of complexity that people are required to deal with.
The purpose of the wellbeing framework is to provide guidance on the key issues Treasury officers should be thinking about in framing policy advice to Government. It is not a 'checklist' to be applied in every circumstance, and its application differs across different areas reflecting their different responsibilities and tasks. Nevertheless, it serves an important unifying function for Treasury's policy analysis and advice, through providing a broader intellectual context for Treasury's work.
The framework reinforces our view that trade-offs matter deeply. Most policy reforms will involve trade-offs within or between dimensions of wellbeing. These trade-offs can be complex and multidimensional. Decisions regarding policies involving such trade-offs ultimately require judgements to be made about valuing different aspects of social welfare, which can only be done through the political process.
There are powerful forces at work in the Australian economy, including the re-emergence of China and India and the surge in Australia's terms of trade; demographic pressures including population ageing and growth; climate change adaptation and mitigation; and the continued evolution of the information and telecommunications revolution of recent decades.
How we respond to these opportunities and challenges – that is, the quality of the policy settings and decisions taken today - will be crucially important t
o the wellbeing of Australians over coming decades.
1 For further exposition of these issues, see Banks, G, 2010, An Economy-wide View: Speeches on Structural Reform, available at: http://www.pc.gov.au/speeches/20100329-structural-reform-compendium; Parker, D, 2007, "The Importance of Open World Markets for Australia's Development and Prosperity", Economic Roundup http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/1280/PDF/Lowy_Institute_Conference.pdf; Henry, K, 2001, "Australia's economic development", Address to the CEDA 40th anniversary annual general meeting dinner, Economic Roundup http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/108/PDF/3_ceda.pdf.
2 See, Gruen, D and Sayegh, A, 2005, "The Evolution of Fiscal Policy in Australia", Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 21, Oxford University Press.
3 See, Stevens, G, 1999, 'Six Years of Inflation Targeting', Reserve Bank of Australia Bulletin, May, pp 46–61. Available at http://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/1999/may/pdf/bu-0599-2.pdf; and Debelle G, 2009, 'The Australian Experience with Inflation Targeting', Banco Central do Brasil XI Annual Seminar on Inflation Targeting Rio de Janeiro. Available at http://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2009/sp-ag-150509.html.
4 See, for example, OECD (2007), "What Shapes the Implementation of Structural Reform?" Going for Growth, OECD Paris; OECD (2009) Political Economy of Reform; Lessons from Pensions, Product Markets and Labour Markets in Ten OECD Countries, OECDParis.
5 Clearly, this list is not exhaustive. See Tompson, W. and T-T. Dang (2010), "Advancing Structural Reforms in OECD Countries: Lessons from Twenty Case Studies", OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No. 757. Available at: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/advancing-structural-reforms-in-oecd-countries_5kmh5gnsb937-en.
6 This section draws extensively from Grant, A and Wilkie J, "The Importance of Evidence for Successful Economic Reform", Economic Roundup, Issue 1, 2009. Available at: http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/1496/PDF/04_Evidence_and_reform.pdf.
7 Banks G, "Structural Reform Australian Style", 2005 http://www.pc.gov.au/speeches/cs20050601.
8 For more information, see Henry, K, "Policy Advice and Treasury's Wellbeing Framework", Economic Roundup 2004 http://www.treasury.gov.au/documents/876/PDF/Policy_advice_Treasury_wellbeing_framework.pdf.


My name is Dr. Steve G. Jones, Ed.D. and I have been helping people improve their lives through hypnosis for over 25 years. And how I do it is rather simple.
You see, our reality is nothing more than our perception of reality. And our perception of reality is created within our subconscious mind. Therefore, the key to creating the reality that you desire is to program your subconscious mind to manifest that reality.
While the concept itself is simple, getting people to do this can be easier said than done, in some cases. And the reason behind all this is that without even realizing it, the subconscious mind is so strongly programmed, that changing it almost seems impossible.
Take a person who wants to achieve financial freedom for example. Consciously, they don't ever want to work for someone again. They are tired of living from paycheck to paycheck. They want the best things money can buy.
Yet their reality is much different. They either never succeed at the attempts that they make or they never even make those attempts to begin with. And the result is that they wind up unhappy because they never have enough money to be financially free.
The reason why this happens is because within the subconscious, is a thought process which is much more powerful than that which occurs in the conscious mind. And if the thoughts within the subconscious are different than those which you consciously believe, you will always manifest a reality that you may not desire.
So the bottom line is that you can consciously want all the money in the world, but if you subconsciously believe it won't happen or that it's just too hard, it will be.
After years of developing powerful methods to effectively help people achieve the alpha state, I began realizing that while people would come to me for many different reasons (ie. to lose weight, stop smoking, control their tempers, etc.), there was a root problem existing in many people that could still halt their ability to achieve results.
The root problem is the lack of the characteristic that I mentioned earlier. It's called confidence, and without it nearly every attempt that you make at achieving a goal will probably be shattered into a million pieces.
For example, if you have all the great qualities of a partner, but lack the confidence to make a decision to act in a way that would bring you closer to a partner, you will probably wind up alone.
If you want to land your dream job, but lack the confidence to make the decision to act in a way that would bring you closer to that job, like furthering your education, gaining more experience or approaching the person who could provide you with that job, you will probably wind up without your dream job.
The bottom line is that confidence is a resource which is both invaluable and essential toward the achievement of just about any goal.
With that being said, I decided that since it was taking up so much time for me and costing too much money for others ($2,500 a pop) to travel to my Savannah office for a private session to build and restore confidence, that I would create a resource that anyone could use to instill confidence within themselves using the power of hypnosis right in the privacy of their own home.
It took quite a bit of time, energy, money and some good old fashioned hard work, but in the end, I was happy to say that I fulfilled my mission……almost.
You see, while it's true that to change the behaviors which influence the decisions that one makes to lead them toward success, you must re-program their mind on a subconscious level. When you're dealing with something like confidence, things can get a little tricky.
Reason being is that confidence is nothing more than belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities. As you can see, this is why confidence really governs every attempt at programming the subconscious mind for success.
For example, I could show you every winning play involved in a sport, but if you never have the confidence to put it to use, it will never benefit you in any way.
And for that reason, instilling confidence in someone takes much more effort than just about anything else.
In essence, one needs to focus on two areas: subconscious thoughts and emotions.
They serve as the fuels for the creation of life, war, death, marriage, love and just about everything else in life.
And negative emotions can have an extremely destructive effect on one's level of confidence.
And because of that, it takes a little bit more work.
My years of research and study in hypnotherapy combined with my education in cognitive psychology not only provided me with an abundant amount of knowledge when it comes to how the mind works and how people learn, but I also had mastered every effective technique that could be used to implement this knowledge.
I knew that my system was as close to perfect as perfect could be, but I felt something was missing. And that something was the component which would deal with people's emotions.
You see, my system would equip any person with the transcendent ability to develop confidence using the power of hypnosis, but if they had negative emotions, the process would take much longer. If a person develops the confidence to act, but cannot control the negative emotions which prompt them to do otherwise, they still will not act.
Now I know from years of experience and research that when it comes to dealing with negative emotions there simply is no better option than that of Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT for short.
For those of you who aren't familiar with EFT, it's an incredible healing modality, which is based on the same principles as the age old techniques found in acupuncture, only without the use of needles.
It basically works by changing the body's energy. Dr. Roger Callahan (the man whose findings led to the creation of EFT) hit the nail right on the head when he said, "The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system."
Since Dr. Callahan's findings, EFT has transformed into a powerful energy-based therapy developed by Gary Craig, which has been used to provide rapid relief from physical-emotional issues (e.g. Trauma, PTSD, Phobias, Grief, Anger, Guilt, Anxiety, Addictive Cravings, Nightmares, Abandonment, Fear of Public Speaking, Fear of Flying, Love Pain, Depression, Pain, Headaches and much more).
Trained and certified at the respected Hypnosis Motivation Institute in Tarzana, CA, where he served on staff, Brad has made quite a name for himself by combining this background with training in energy psychology and various schools of thought in the area of personal growth and achievement.
happiness in their lives and has had the privilege and pleasure of working with a diverse group of clients, from CEO's to professional and NCAA athletes, from chiropractors and psychiatrists to corporate and federal attorneys, from award-winning actors to residents at a program for homeless men and women in Santa Monica.
He has also been a presenter at a number of events, including several International Energy Psychology Conferences and the Walk On Water (WOW) Fest in Los Angeles.
expert in the film "Try It On Everything" along with Jack Canfield, Bob Proctor, Dr. Norman Shealy and Dr. Bruce Lipton.
Let's just say this guy is the "go to guy" when it comes to personal development, particularly through EFT. And he had exactly what I needed.
As you can imagine, with his huge roster of clientele and traveling schedule, Brad isn't exactly the easiest guy to get in contact with.
For weeks, my marketing team, my editor and just about everyone else on my staff tried to track him down.
"Can't do it" I replied. "If we can't get Brad involved, there's no point in even pursuing the matter".
Trying to replace Brad's expertise and what he brings to the table when it comes to EFT, is like trying to replace a screw with a nail, it just won't work the same.
And so we persisted…….and persisted….and persisted a little more.
And finally, after months on end, my secretary got Brad on the phone.
As she was on the phone with him, I happened to be walking into my Savannah office fresh off a plane from New York and heard her say "Yes, Mr. Yates".
I dropped my bags and grabbed the phone right out of her hands (juggling it like a hot potato) because I knew that no one would be able to convey the message to Brad like I would.
I told him that while subconscious thoughts control everything, they can be easily influenced or changed as a result of negative emotions in action.
Brad was amazed that I had called him to talk about confidence because he also knew how important it was to the process of achievement in anything a person can do.
And he also knew that hypnosis (when combined with EFT) serves as the ultimate formula for building confidence.
I asked Brad if he was willing to take some time out of his busy schedule to put together a resource on building confidence through EFT that could be coupled with my program which was based on hypnosis.
He not only agreed to help, but he said he would go one step better and perform a live teleseminar where he would disclose the step by step process for tapping into confidence and allow me to record every bit of it.
The result was something so powerful and mind-engaging that it could almost be called super-natural.
The Power Of Future Focus - Learn how to remove labels you have been given in the past.
Confidence Rejuvenation - Re-create confidence from within yourself.
How To Increase You Self Worth – Learn to give your self-esteem a permanent boost.
PMA Mastery – Here you will learn everything you need to achieve and master a positive mental attitude.
How To Attract A Positive Confident Energy Into Your Life – All negative emotions are the result of the body's energy being disrupted. Here you will abolish that problem forever.
Universal Confidence – Learn how to exude confidence in all aspects of life including dating, sales, and any other situation.
Confidence In Communication - Learn to be confident when speaking to people under any circumstances or in any situation.
Discover Your Inner Voice – Once you become aware of your talents and abilities, your confidence will naturally peak.
Natural Confidence Support Systems – Discover the power and privilege of being assertive and self-assured.
Goal Centered Confidence – Here you will build the confidence needed to attain any goal that you set your mind to.
Self Confidence Hypnosis - Use hypnosis to fuel your confidence at any given time.
The Power Of Effective Communication – Here you will become an amazing conversationalist which will ensure your confidence when speaking to people.
As you can see, I made what may be one of the best decisions of my life by being persistent in my efforts to get in touch with Brad because the end result is something that neither of us could have accomplished on our own.
And that's what truly makes this Confidence Beyond Belief resource different than anything else on the planet.
"The Confidence Beyond Belief program is the breakthrough I needed. I procrastinated starting my business for 5 years due to self-doubt. After going through Brad and Steve's program I'm launching my business with full-confidence I will be successful."
You see, you can search high and low until you are blue in the face, but you will never find a resource as empowering as this.
Before I go any further, realize this; a system is only as effective as your ability to use it.
In others words, you can flood your mind with tons of knowledge, but if you fail to engage your mind mentally so that you can apply it, it's basically useless.
Here is a perfect example. Have you ever purchased a book and were so impressed with how informative it was, only to realize that all it consisted of was information that you really couldn't do anything with except perhaps use it for substance in casual conversation?
The unfortunate reality is that many so called "life-changing" resources are just that; mere references.
They only succeed in doing half the job which is educating and enlightening you with information that you didn't have before you purchased the resource.
But many of them fail miserably in the application aspect. In other words, they do not succeed in providing you with a system that you can actually use to apply the information that you learn.
And I refused to let Confidence Beyond Belief fall in to that category…which is why I decided to take things one step further.
After I spent months tracking down Brad Yates and getting him to record an exclusive teleseminar, while at the same time spending hours a day in the recording studio with my sound engineers perfecting the hypnosis recording, I decided the best way to show you how to apply the profound knowledge found in this system was to have both of us apply it right in front of you.
And so I once again got Brad on the phone and asked him if he would be comfortable performing an EFT Confidence Tapping session on me while I performed a Hypnosis Confidence Induction on him.
That way, people could see exactly how the system works without any kind of guess work involved.
I guess you could say this was the final stone that needed to be turned for this system to really be effective in every capacity.
The Reality Of Success - Learn to believe that success is possible.
The Power Of Abundance – Once you realize that an abundant life is possible, it will become your reality.
Inner Self Confidence - Discover the source of confidence from within you.
EFT Confidence Mastery - Learn the empowering techniques of EFT (emotional freedom technique).
Goal Achievement Mastery - Learn to feel worthy of meeting your goals and make them a reality.
Tap Your Way To Freedom - Discover the importance of the tapping technique and how it will change your life.
Shatter Your Self Doubt - Free yourself from self-doubt once and for all.
EFT Mastery – Become inspired from Brad using EFT on Steve.
Discover Your Inner Self - Empower yourself to find out who you really are so that your confidence will soar.
Implant Confidence Permanently - Learn to subconsciously program confidence forever.
Confidence Through NLP - Use NLP to anchor confidence permanently.
So let me ask you this, after seeing what you will discover and how your life will be flooded with confidence, can you think of any reason why you do not want to change your life today?
Can you think of any good reason why you would not want to instill within yourself the confidence that you've always wanted?
Are you ready to face any situation and/or circumstance whether good or bad with unshakable confidence?
I hope you answered yes because aside from creating the single most effective resource for building confidence on the planet through the power of hypnosis and EFT and pairing it with a fullproof system to apply what you learn, Brad and I are going to make owning Confidence Beyond Belief as affordable as humanly possible.
Anyone who knows Brad Yates knows that a live EFT teleseminar from him could easily be sold for hundreds and still be considered a great value as many others that he has done have proved it time and time again.
My hypnosis recordings sell for $79.95 on average and are considered a great deal by many at that price.
Now couple those 2 points with the fact that we are including a live recording of Brad performing an EFT session on me and me performing a hypnosis session on him (just to further insure your success) and what you have is something so powerful and unique that could easily be sold for hundreds and almost be considered an outright steal at that price.
However, because Brad and I are so passionate about what we do and we know that if there is one area that everyone should improve, it is confidence, we are going to practically give Confidence Beyond Belief away for just $79.00 $49.
Knowing that your confidence level is going to not only govern every decision that you make but is also going to have a direct impact on the quality of life that you experience, don't you think you owe it to yourself to own Confidence Beyond Belief for just $79.00 $49.
Okay, now that you understand exactly how important confidence is and how Confidence Beyond Belief will change your life, you have three options.
Ignore everything you have read and continue to live without the confidence you need to make the decisions that will enrich your life spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially (this is known as passing up a great opportunity).
Take everything you have read at face value and tell yourself that you will get back to it another time (this is known as procrastination).
Act now and decide to take control of both your confidence and your life by investing in something that will have a profound effect on you forever (this is known as taking initiative).
Remember, there is zero risk involved because if for any reason you are not happy with the results that I have promised in Confidence Beyond Belief, Brad and I will buy it back from you.
Remember, your confidence will govern every decision and your emotions will support your confidence, there is only one way to have Confidence Beyond Belief.
To Purchase For Just $79.00 $49!
To Purchase For Just $89.00 $59!


Lord Sebastian Coe, the former chairman of the organising committee for London 2012 Olympic Games, says technology has changed sport in ways he couldn't have imagined when competing in the 1500 metres and 800 metres in the 1970s and 80s.
Speaking during the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the current chair of the British Olympic Association (BOA), explained that IT has become an increasingly integral part of the planning process for major sporting events in order to keep up the increasing demands and expectations of athletes, officials, the media and spectators.
"Science and technology, in particular, have changed the way we train for sporting events, how we take part in them and how we experience them as spectators," he said.
London 2012 was underpinned by a major technological operation that had evolved from basic functionality such as timing and scoring to become essential to the smooth running of an event. It now encompasses vast wired and wireless networks, data feeds, management systems, ticketing and official websites.
"We had more website traffic on the first day of London 2012 than the entirety of the Beijing Games," said Lord Coe, adding that the difference between the most recent games and Sydney in 2000 was extraordinary.
Twelve years before the London Games, there was no Facebook or Wi-Fi, while all ticketing was done on paper – although Coe joked that at some points during the controversial ticketing process for London, it had been done on paper.
Even in Glasgow, journalists were provided with a hard copy of results from each event, but in general, members of the media have a much easier time than they did in the 1980s.
Lord Coe recalled competing in the Yorkshire county championships in the early 1980s in a location where it was difficult to get phone lines out for journalists who still filed stories over the phone. He described it as a "bit of a shock" for London-based hacks, but this was not limited to provincial events. At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Lord Coe said the world's media formed "memorable" queues for payphones.
"Today, everyone has access to laptops, tablets and wireless Internet that allow them to file from anywhere at any time – bringing stories to readers faster and changing the whole nature of real-time coverage," explained Coe.
In recent Olympics, the international press centre has been well equipped with phone lines and Ethernet networks, but even at Beijing there was precious little demand for Wi-Fi. Two years ago in London it was a key part of the infrastructure and in Glasgow 2014, it was central to the planning process.
Members of the technology team at the Commonwealth Games did mention that the evening shift was among the most stressful because any problems with the Wi-Fi network coluld not be tolerated by journalists who had deadlines to meet.
For London 2012 and this year's Commonwealth Games, viewers were treated to multiple streams of TV coverage, while commentators were supplied with feeds of detailed information that they could turn into insight in real-time.
Unsurprisingly, this was not the case three decades ago. Much of the data was collected manually during Coe's career and handed to the television companies hours after the event had finished.
Lord Coe recalled a cross-country event where athletes were only distinguishable by cardboard numbers pinned to their vests. However heavy rain caused many of these numbers to fall off, leaving the legendary David Coleman without a clue as to who was leading the race. Nowadays, Steve Cram, the current BBC commentator has radio technology to tell him about athletes' positions.
But it's not just spectators and organisers who have benefited from this technological revolution, its athletes too.
"I was probably the first athlete in the modern era to use sports science," noted Cole, explaining how this field informed his training regimes despite its wider perception as "voodoo science" in the 1970s and 1980s.
Sports science has now evolved to the point where athletes have access to nutritionists, physiotherapists and even psychiatrists, while advances in medicine can speed up the diagnosis and treatment of injuries.
But athletes have simpler demands too. Prior to the Commonwealth Games, Welsh cyclist Elinor Barker told TechWeekEurope that a good Wi-Fi network in the athletes' village was important because she wanted to make use of social media.
She's not alone. Facebook and Twitter are widely used by many sportspeople who want to convey more of their personality to their fans. Not everyone has had a positive experience though, with some believing it can be a bit intrusive.
Lord Coe, one of three vice presidents of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), said there was no way to turn the clock back now and that social media was instrumental in getting young people interested in the sport.
Great read Steve. Interesting to read Lord Coe's thoughts as he is one who has seen both sides of an event like the Olympics or Commonwealth Games and whose career has straddled this technological revolution we now find ourselves in.
Also interesting to read the fact that wi-fi was barely used in Beijing but then only four years later it is something the London Games couldn't do without. Wonder where Brazil will be in two year's time and if their infrastructure will be prepared for whatever demands will be placed on it.
As well, interesting to find this piece now. For my company's blog I wrote a piece regarding how technology has changed since the 1984 games in L.A. which marked its 30th anniversary on Tuesday. Great to get your thoughts. Thanks!


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DHHS Victoria Update: PPE guidance for Allied Health services in private practice
The Health Care and Social Assistance sector guidance page on the Victorian Government website has been updated to include a downloadable PDF about PPE guidance for Allied Health private practice. They've also included a FAQ section for practitioners and clients in this sector on the website.
View the updated Industry Restart Guidelines for Allied Health and other primary health services with information about PPE guidance here - Industry Restart Guidelines PDF
Read answers to frequently asked questions by practitioners and clients within the healthcare and social assistance sector here - www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au
NSW Health: Restrictions for Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong
In Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong areas, it is mandatory to wear a face mask indoors.
A face mask (fitted face covering) is mandatory in the following indoor settings:
shopping (retail, supermarkets and shopping centres)
public and community transport
indoor entertainment (including cinemas and theatres)
places of public worship
hair and beauty premises
betting agencies
gaming areas in licensed premises.
Under the public health order, a "fitted face covering" means a mask or other covering that:
fits securely around the face, and
is designed or made to be worn over the nose and mouth to provide the wearer with protection against infection.
You may be fined $200 on the spot for not wearing a face mask.
Children aged 12 and under, are exempt but are encouraged to wear masks where practicable.
For more information on the restrictions for Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong, list of premises where a mask must be worn, please visit the www.nsw.gov.au website.
Guidelines for Gyms and Fitness Classes
Gyms must be registered as COVID Safe and have a COVID-19 Safe Hygiene Marshal present when there are more than 25 people using the gym at the same time.
The gym COVID Safety Plan applies to any gym that is an indoor recreation facility open to members of the public. This includes gyms that are in a hotel or workplace.
Indoor gyms are subject to the one person per 4 square metres rule.
A maximum of 30 people per class applies to gym and recreation classes such as yoga, tai chi and pilates.
If a gym is not open to members of the public – such as a gym in residential premises, a home or an apartment building – these requirements do not apply.
A gym does not include a studio for dance, yoga, pilates, gymnastics or martial arts.
See the COVID-19 Safety Plans that apply to:
Swimming pools, saunas and spas.
Indoor recreation facilities including yoga, pilates and dance studios, martial arts training facilities recreation
Victoria Industry Restart Guidelines: Allied Health & other primary care services
Updates to reflect the COVID-safe Summer restrictions have been made to the Industry Restart Guidelines: Allied Health and other primary care services. Please click here to view the guidelines.
The density quotients for indoor groups are now confirmed as;
1 to 2 square metres for services in clinical settings
1 to 4 square metres for services delivered in fitness industry settings (refer to p.2 of the document)
Specific requirements for clinical services provided from a residential address are also outlined on p.3 of the document, which states services operated from a residential address can operate, subject to the following restrictions:
Must have a COVIDSafe Plan
Premises must be registered as a business premises
Must follow PPE guidance issued by DHHS
DHHS Victoria Update: Further advice on continued wear of a Tier 1 mask when providing clinical services to patients
The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) received further advice from Public Health regarding the transition to 'COVID-safe summer' restrictions for Allied Health and primary care practitioners.
Public Health have confirmed that all Allied Health and primary care practitioners must continue to wear a Tier 1 mask (at minimum) when providing clinical services to patients.
Mandatory indications for mask wearing for members of the general public are now limited to public transport, commercial passenger vehicles, ride share and indoor shopping/retail. In this context, patients do not need to wear masks when been treated by an Allied Health or primary care practitioner unless the practice is located within a shopping centre/retail setting.
Further advice from Public Health is still pending regarding a potential change in density quotients. We will provide updates as soon as this information is available.
In addition, requirements for the provision of clinical services from a residential address currently remain unchanged.
SA Health: Mandatory Mask Use
From the 1st of December, all people in health care settings must wear a single-use surgical mask (covering mouth and nose) at all times when in the physical presence of other people on the premises.
The Emergency Management (Public Activities No 13) (COVID-19) Direction 2020 includes details around mandatory mask use in health care settings.
All people in health care settings are required to wear a mask while in the physical presence of other people. This includes:
administrative and other staff
contractors and
any other person present on site.
Masks are also required for:
Employees at nail salons, tattoo parlours, hairdressers and similar businesses.
People who are in self-quarantine or self-isolation who need to leave their home to seek urgent medical care, seek urgent medical supplies or get tested for COVID-19 must wear a mask when in public.
For more the latest information on COVID-19 restrictions in SA, please visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au. You can also the FAQs for the mandatory mask use in health care settings by clicking here.
DHHS Victoria Update: Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers
Eye protection is no longer mandated for Tier 1 PPE, for patient facing health care workers providing care and or treatment to COVID negative patients and/or patients who have no risk factors for COVID-19 (e.g. clinical risk factors or epidemiological factors).
This replaces the advice in Conventional use of PPE guidance published on the 21st of October. Please note the Conventional use of PPE guidance document is currently being updated.
As yet, it's not confirmed when the revised guidance document will be endorsed, however the statement on the DHHS website should now be applied to implementation of the department's PPE guidance.
We will share information on the PPE guidance document for Allied Health in private practice, as soon as we receive an update.
We hope the above information proves useful. To find out more about guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, click here.
Summary of Last Step restrictions for metro Melbourne and regional Victoria - Allied Health and Primary Care
Following the Victorian Premier's announcement yesterday, a summary of the Last Step restrictions for Metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria (effective as of 11.59pm, 22 November 2020) has been released. Click here to download the summary.
Based on this document, there are limited changes for Allied Health and Primary Care providers, which are summarised below;
Indoor group therapies in clinical treatment settings and fitness industry settings may increase to a maximum cap of 20 participants (within density quotients).
Indoor group therapy classes conducted in a fitness industry setting may now operate with a density quotient of 1 to 4 metres square (i.e. previous density quotient was 1 to 8 metres square). This brings into alignment the density quotients for clinical treatment settings and fitness industry settings.
Outdoor group therapies may increase to a maximum cap of 50 participants. Owing to the proximity to other participants and potential for contact, face masks still should be worn by all participants.
Caps on group sizes for hydrotherapy in indoor and outdoor pools have been removed, however a density quotient of 1 to 4 metres square still applies.
Restrictions on the purpose, number and time limits for visitors to hospital and care facilities have been removed, but remain subject to the rules/regulations of each individual facility.
The conventional use of PPE guidance (upon which the Allied Health private practice PPE guidance is based) has not changed at this time. The requirement for use of a face shield remains under all three risk Tiers, noting where practicable.
The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) are continuing to seek further guidance from Public Health regarding provisions for therapy services operating from a residential address, and will share updates as soon as they have additional detail.
For the most up-to-date information on Mapping Victoria's path toward COVID Normal, please visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au
Revised Industry Restart Guidelines
An updated version of the Industry Restart Guidelines is now available on the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) website – www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au reflecting requirements for Third Step restrictions; Download the updated guidelines here. Metropolitan Melbourne has now entered the Third Step.
Updates on Group Therapy Density Quotients and Services operating from Residential Addresses
Formal confirmation has been received from Public Health that indoor therapy groups (in both clinical settings and fitness industry settings) will be allowed to recommence in metro Melbourne from 11.59pm on Sunday 8 November 2020. Please note the details provided outlining differences in the requirements for density quotients between these two settings.
For clinical settings, indoor groups (when permitted) will need to operate with a density quotient of 1 person per 4 square metres, maximum number of 10 people per group – practitioners excluded from the group numbers.
For health professionals, that provide clinical services in a fitness industry setting (ie. public/commercial gym) a density quotient of 1 person per 8 square metres will apply with a maximum group size of 10 people – practitioners again excluded from the group numbers.
Advice for Allied Health and other Healthcare Services operating a business from home
Please find below additional information from the DHHS Public Health unit with regard to requirements for Allied Health and other healthcare services operating from a residential address.
To operate a 'business from the home', the owner/practitioner of the business must ensure their compliance with Victoria's COVID-19 restrictions as follows;
The residential premise must be registered as a business premise and have a COVID-safe plan in place
A separate entry/exit point must be available for patients/clients to access the premise
Patients/clients cannot access any shared facilities in the owner/practitioner's place of residence – including bathrooms/toilets and foyer areas
Density quotients, physical distancing and PPE requirements remain applicable
Patients/clients must wear a face covering for the duration of the intervention/treatment – the only exception being where a patient/client is legally exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering as per DHHS directives. For more information on Exceptions for not wearing a face mask, click here.
Departmental Guidance for Workplace Cleaning and Disinfection
Practical actions can be taken to keep your staff and customers safe by implementing hygiene and physical distancing measures. Please be aware of the guidelines and refer to the useful fact sheets below on how best to clean and disinfect to reduce the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission:
COVID-19 Coronavirus (COVID-19) cleaning guidelines for workplaces - click here to view the guidelines
Factsheet Cleaning Guidelines - cleaning workforce coronavirus (COVID-19) - click here to view the fact sheet
Factsheet Cleaning Guidelines - cleaning supervisors (COVID-19) - click here to view the fact sheet
Factsheet - Cleaning Guidelines - building owners and managers coronavirus (COVID-19) - click here to view the fact sheet
These resources are also available via the DHHS COVID-19 website; www.dhhs.vic.gov.au
Victoria Allied Health and Other Primary Care Services Update
We are pleased to share the information that as of 11.59pm, 27th October, all allied health and other primary care services are able to resume routine 1:1 patient care with a COVID-safe plan in place. Complementary and alternate therapies are included within the definition of 'other' primary care services. Telehealth is the preferred method, where possible.
The only exception/restriction for metro Melbourne that remains is indoor group activity. This is still not permitted until the restrictions for metro Melbourne aligns with regional Victoria on the 8th November 2020. Any form of indoor activity that brings members of different households together is still considered the highest risk, irrespective of the reason those people might be in the indoor space.
A COVID-safe plan is a mandatory requirement
Please ensure you are aware of the six COVID-safe principles and requirements for COVID-safe plans. To view the document click here.
Further revision of the Industry Restart Guidelines for Allied Health and other primary health services is expected within the coming days. This update will be available via the Business Victoria website.
We're waiting on further information about home based practices. However, the following rules apply:
Covid-safe plan must be in place
Separate entry and exit point from premises
Must be a registered business – registered with local council with correct zoning in place (it cannot be a side business).
PPE for Allied Health in Private Practice Settings
For information on recommended PPE for allied health professionals in private practice settings, please click here.
From Tuesday 11:59pm, 27th October changes are being made to restrictions in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Following Premier, Daniel Andrews announcement yesterday afternoon, please find below updates on easing of restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Metropolitan Melbourne: See the Premier's metropolitan statement here
Hair, Beauty & Personal Care Services:
Restricted. Hairdressers and beauty services open where a face mask can be worn for the duration of service.
To view the summary of the Third Step and further easing of restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne click here
Healthcare & Social Assistance:
Restricted. All AHPRA-registered health workers - and in addition, social work, speech pathology, dietetics, audiology, exercise physiology, orthotists, orthoptits, art therapists, music therapists. and prosthetists may provide face to face services for routine and preventative care (noting that telehealth remains preferred and indoor classes are not allowed)
Any other health worker providing services required under a Chronic Disease Management Plan, a care plan endorsed by NDIS (including self-managed plans), TAC, Workcover or DVA - if care is required to prevent a significant change/deterioration in functional independence necessitating escalation of care (e.g. an increase in frequency of treatment needed, an increased need for prescription medication due to a significant increase in pain, requirement for specialist input or review, an increase in care needs, and/or a substantial increase to anticipated recovery time associated with a delay in receiving services).
No group classes / services to be provided (face-to-face) unless the session can be conducted safely outdoors (maximum 2 people plus health worker).
To view the Industry Restrictions Level for Healthcare (Allied Health and other primary health services) click here
Regional Victoria: See the Premier's regional statement here
Hair, Beauty & Personal Services:
To view the summary of further easing in the Third Step for Regional Victoria click here
Restricted. For more information about health care and social assistance sector guidance click here
We'll provide more information as we receive detailed changes to these guidelines.
Victoria COVID-19 restrictions update
Below is an update on COVID-19 restrictions for Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria:
Metropolitan Melbourne (Currently at Second Step)
Personal services including massage is not permitted.
Regional Victoria (Currently at Third Step):
Massage & Beauty Therapy are allowed with the use of face masks. Personal services where a face mask can be worn for the duration of service is permitted, however with restrictions eg providing facials is not permitted as clients cannot wear a mask for total duration of the treatment.
If a service is required as part of a Chronic Disease Management Plan (as authorised/endorsed by NDIS, TAC, Workcover or DVA) then the practitioner is permitted to provide services.
All AHPRA registered health workers, including social workers, speech pathologists, dietetics, audiologists, exercise physiologists are permitted to provide face to face services if required to prevent significant deterioration in a patient.
For more information, please refer to the following helpful links:
Second Step Metro Melbourne Personal Services: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/shopping-retail-and-personal-services-melbourne-metropolitan-second-step
Third Step Regional Melbourne Personal Services: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/shopping-retail-and-personal-services-third-step
Permitted Industries (AHPRA): https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/health-care-and-social-assistance-restrictions-covid-19
Coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap for the reopening of Victoria
Regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne each have their own roadmaps, based on the number of active cases currently in the community. Each are will be able to move to the next step of the reopening roadmap subject to public health advice.
Metropolitan Melbourne. Currently at Second Step can move to the Third Step of the roadmap to easing restrictions when the daily average number of cases in the last 14 days is less than five state-wide and when there are less than five cases with an unknown source in the last 14 days.
Regional Victoria. Currently at Third Step. The Last Step on regional Victoria's roadmap to easing restrictions can start when there have been no new cases for 14 days, across Victoria.
For further information on Victoria's roadmap for reopening, please refer to the useful links below:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap for reopening: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions-roadmaps
Industry restriction levels - Metropolitan Melbourne: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/industry-restrictions-roadmap-metro-melbourne
Industry restriction levels - Regional Victoria: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/industry-restriction-levels-regional-victoria
On behalf of the IICT team, we encourage IICT Members to stay strong as we patiently wait for restrictions to ease in keeping with the lower case numbers across the state. Keep safe and take care.
Regional Victoria moves to the Third Step from 11:59pm, Wed 16th Sept
IICT welcomes the announcement that regional Victoria has commenced the Third Step to reopening from 11:59pm, Wednesday 16 September 2020.
For all natural therapy practitioners in regional Victoria, you can continue to practice (as has been the case under Stage 3 restrictions). For more information and FAQs on the Third Step visit www.vic.gov.au.
For our Melbourne Metro members, we are hopeful that there will be further announcements soon that may indicate some good news for all.
COVID-19 Victoria Restrictions Update
To our Victorian IICT Members, below are updates on the COVID-19 restrictions in your state. Please read the guidelines below that apply for Regional Victorian and Melbourne metropolitan members:
Regional Victorian Members:
Stage 3 restrictions permit you to continue practising at this time, but we do urge you to exercise a high level of caution with regard to clients you accept, ensuring they are adequately screened for COVID-19 symptoms prior to their appointment, that appropriate hygiene processes are adhered to, and that both you and your client are wearing a mask at all times.
Melbourne Metropolitan Members:
Stage 4 restrictions are aligned to Victoria's current State of Disaster declaration and are understandably focused on saving and protecting the lives of all Victorians through restricting non-essential movement across the State.
All therapeutic health services are not permitted
If you can conduct your services online via zoom, Skype etc, this is permitted
We very much appreciate that these restrictions will mean that closing your practices for now will be the only option for many Melbourne based therapists.
In addition to the above critical information, we have been advised the following:
You can leave home to receive health care or attend medical appointments. If you need to see a doctor or health care professional, you should do so. Do not put off getting medical care. Your doctor or health care professional can provide advice on how to stay safe.
You can leave home to care for a sick or elderly relative. If you are providing care for someone you should try to keep 1.5 metres between you when you can. Wear a face covering.
You can leave home to accompany someone for essential medical treatment only if you are a parent, guardian or necessary support person.
For further information and resources to help you create a COVID Safe Plan for your practice, click here.
Victoria Reinstates Stage 3 Stay At Home Restrictions
To all our loyal IICT members in Victoria dealing with the second wave of Covid-19 restrictions, our heart goes out to you all as the impact of a second wave affects natural therapists across the state.
Below are all the details to assist you during this very difficult time:
Based on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, the Victorian Government announced Stay at Home directions for metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire from 8 July until 11.59pm on 19 August. For six weeks, people who live in these areas are only allowed to go out for: shopping for food and supplies, health care and caregiving, outdoor exercise, and study or work (if unable to work or study from home).
Indoor sports centres including gyms, training facilities and pools will be closed.
Community sport training and competition cannot occur within metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. People living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, cannot attend or participate in community sport elsewhere.
People can only exercise or undertake sporting activities outside with one other person or household members. A 1.5 metres distance between yourself and others must be kept.
Some outdoor sport facilities will be closed. Personal training outdoors can occur but with a limit of two participants, in addition to the instructor.
For more information on Victoria's restriction levels, click here.
Business Support Package
A $534 million Business Support Package was announced on the 10th July to provide more support to help businesses and workers through these renewed restrictions. This includes:
The expanded Business Support Fund, that will provide more than 80,000 eligible businesses with a new $5,000 grant to support them through the renewed restrictions
$26 million in mental health support to ensure Victorians dealing with the compounding challenges of running a small business can get the support they need as they navigate their way through the crisis
A $10 million business mentoring program, pairing small business owners with experienced professionals who can help them navigate their way through the crisis
A $20 million fund to support small businesses in Melbourne's CBD that are faced with a large and sustained shock to their trading environments.
Get more information about the Victorian Business Support Package and view the details of each program by clicking here.
Gyms to Reopen in NSW June 13
The NSW Government announced restrictions on gyms to be lifted from June 13, including yoga and Pilates classes. Read the latest update here.
Further Restrictions Eased
Yesterday, both NSW and Victoria announced an easing of restrictions to personal care services and offering treatments to clients.
In addition, six states and territories have confirmed when indoor gyms can reopen, including yoga and Pilates classes. Please find below update for both:
Personal Care Services Update
New South Wales - JUNE 1
Up to a maximum of 10 clients at any one time
Victoria - JUNE 1
Queensland - MAY 15 (Stage 1) & JUNE 12 (Stage 2)
Currently, up to a maximum of 10 clients at any one time
This will increases to a maximum of 20 clients at any one time in stage 2
South Australia - JUNE 5
Tasmania - JUNE 15
Northern Territory - MAY 15 (currently in effect)
Must submit a COVID-19 safety plan and put measures in place
Western Australia - To be confirmed
Treatments are not allowed but businesses can open to sell products
Australian Capital Territory - To be confirmed
Businesses to remain closed at this stage
Indoor Yoga and Pilates Classes and Gyms Update
New South Wales - To be confirmed
There is no timeframe for gyms to reopen at this stage
Victoria - JUNE 22
Gyms and class fitness studios can be opened with up to 20 people and up to 10 people per group/activity
Queensland - JULY 10
Gyms, health clubs and yoga studios to reopen
Up to a maximum of 100 clients at any one time
Gyms and indoor fitness
Gyms, indoor sport and boot camps can reopen
Operate a studio or gym that provides yoga and Pilates
Western Australia - MAY 18 (currently in effect)
Indoor fitness classes with no shared equipment, up to 20 participants
If you have any information to share regarding COVID-19 that you feel other members would find useful, please contact our team by clicking here.
For advice relating to your specific circumstances, seek professional advice from the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
Latest State News & Updates
Free COVID-19 webinars for small businesses
Support and financial relief for businesses, workers and jobseekers
What you can and can't do under the easing of restrictions
Latest business support, advice and information
Current State of Emergency in Victoria
Roadmap to easing restrictions
Business restrictions and closures
COVID Safety Plans key to reopening WA businesses
Roadmap to recovery
Roadmap to the new normal
Steps to the new normal business restart
Restrictions and advice
Dates for stage two and three easing of coronavirus restrictions in Canberra announced
Stage 2 Easing of Restrictions
Based on the new three-step framework, it appears that most therapists will be able to reopen in stage two with a maximum of 20 clients on the premises at any one time. This increases to 100 clients in stage three. However, each state and territory is different and we strongly recommend you visit your local government website (links below). For example Queensland is allowing some beauty therapies to open for up to 10 people at one time in stage one from Friday May 15.
At this stage Western Australia is planned to begin stage two on Monday May 18 (however beauty therapy and personal care services won't be permitted until stage 3), Queensland Friday June 12, Northern Territory Friday May 15, South Australia Monday June 8 and Tasmania Monday 15 June. Some of these dates are still subject to public health advice.
NSW, VIC and ACT will consider stage two restrictions in due course and have not announced any dates at this stage.
National Three-Step Plan to Relax Restrictions
A national three-step plan to relax coronavirus restrictions has been announced, with states and territories to decide when each step will be implemented locally. To read more click here.
While step one requires 'hair and beauty services' to remain closed, step two will allow allow these services to re-open with up to 20 clients in the premises and a requirement to record contact details. Step three allows all establishments to reopen with up to 100 people.
For state and territory government information regarding stage one easing of restrictions please read below or click on your local state government for the latest responses:
New South Wales will start relaxing lockdown restrictions from Friday, but does not plan to implement all step one measures agreed to by National Cabinet.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday that outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be permitted and people can have five visitors at any one time.
Cafes and restaurants will also be able to have up to 10 people dining in.
Weddings will be allowed to have up to 10 guests while funerals can accommodate up to 20 mourners indoors and 30 outdoors.
The rules have also been relaxed for places of worship, where there can now be up to 10 people at religious gatherings.
Outdoor gyms and playgrounds will open and outdoor pools with restrictions.
But New South Wales does not intend to follow the National Cabinet's plan to permit local and regional travel.
From today, students across NSW will return to school at least one day a week as part of the Government's managed wind-back of coronavirus restrictions.
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced Victorians will be able to have five guests to their home from Wednesday.
As well, groups of 10 will be allowed to participate in outdoor activities.
Mr Andrews said the state was close to finalising a plan to see face-to-face learning return to schools before the end of term two, but said no details would be provided today.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Queensland's plan for the next three months, with the first step taking effect from midnight Friday, May 15.
Under step one, restaurants, cafes and pubs will begin re-opening and bigger public gatherings will be allowed.
Queenslanders will be able to have up to five visitors in their home, with those visitors allowed to be from various households.
Gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed for outdoor activities, personal training, pools, parks and playgrounds, libraries, hiking in national and state parks and places of worship.
Some beauty therapies and nail salons for up to 10 people at one time
The number of people allowed at weddings will increase to a maximum of 10 people, with up to 20 for indoor funerals and up to 30 for outdoor funerals.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall also announced a raft of restrictions would be easing across the state from Monday, May 11.
Outdoor dining at restaurants and cafes will be allowed, and university and TAFE tutorials, as well as public libraries, pools, churches, community halls and auctions will also be reopened.
Groups will be limited to 10 people, however, funerals will soon be able to have 20 people at indoor ceremonies, or 30 for outdoor funerals.
Caravan and camping holidays, as well as regional travel in general, will also be allowed from Monday.
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier described the announcement as a "really positive start to looking at moving forward".
The SA Government plans to ease restrictions on cinemas, theatres, seated dining, galleries, museums and gyms for groups of up to 20 people on June 8.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has announced a roadmap for the reopening of the state's economy, doubling the number of people allowed at non-work gatherings and removing some regional travel borders.
Up to 20 people will be allowed to gather indoors and outdoors. The rule will apply to pubs, bars, community clubs, hotels and the casino.
Up to 20 people will be permitted to attend weddings and funerals, with the cap lifting to 30 people if the service is held outdoors.
WA's temporary regional borders have been reduced from 13 to four, allowing travel between some regions that were previously closed off.
Travel will be permitted within the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Pilbara; the Esperance-Goldfields region; and within the Kimberley.
Restrictions will be removed in the remaining regions — including the South West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt and Peel — to permit travel between those areas and Perth.
Travel between Perth and the other regions will remain prohibited, and WA's interstate border will remain shut for now.
Mr McGowan said the state's success in fighting the spread of coronavirus meant Western Australia was ready to "take the next step".
The changes will take effect from Monday, May 18.
Premier Peter Gutwein has unveiled Tasmania's three-stage plan to roll back restrictions, which could see students back at school by the end of the month.
From Monday, May 11, the limit on the number of people attending a funeral will increase from 10 to 20, aged care visits will be allowed once a week for a maximum of two visitors and national parks and reserves will be opened up to residents who live within a 30-kilometre distance.
Under the second stage, coming into effect on May 18, public gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed but visits to households will be capped at five people.
Restaurants, cafes, playgrounds, pools and boot camps will be allowed to restart for up to 10 people at a time.
The third stage will come into effect on May 25, and is set to see some students return to classrooms while aged care visits will be allowed daily for a maximum of two visitors.
The Premier said each stage will be subject to public health advice.
The Northern Territory has already entered stage one of its restriction-easing plan, opening parks, pools and playgrounds, and lifting limits on outdoor social activities.
From 12:00pm Friday, stage two activities including dining at restaurants, going to the library and exercising at the gym for less than two hours, will be allowed.
Whether the Territory will end its total border closure is still up in the air.
From midnight on Friday in the ACT, up to 10 people will be allowed to gather indoors or outdoors.
The changes also allow picnics and family gatherings to go ahead, and boot camps to resume.
Ten people can gather for weddings, but special allowances are being made for funerals with 20 people indoors or 30 outdoors.
Home inspections and auctions will also resume, but will be limited to 10 people.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr warned the easing of restrictions was not a licence to throw house parties.
COVIDsafe App
The COVIDSafe is now available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Safe Work Australia
Safe Work Australia has COVID information across 23 industries so that businesses can return to work in a COVID safe environment. Click here to view the health care advice.
As of the 2nd May, Bowen Therapists who work in NSW, WA and QLD have been allowed to reopen their clinics. If you require further information, seek professional advice from the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is operated by the Australian Government.
Small businesses offering beauty and personal care products can now open their doors
The NSW Government has made the decision to allow spas, nail salons, beauty salons, waxing salons and tanning salons to open their doors, but only to sell goods and gift vouchers.
NSW Health: COVID-19 - Health services and therapies
Under the the Public Health Act, a health service includes "optical dispensing, dietitian, massage therapy, naturopathy, acupuncture, speech therapy, audiology and audiometry service".
The Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order 2020 requires certain premises to close, including spas, nail salons, beauty salons, waxing salons, tanning salons, tattoo parlours or massage parlours. This does not apply to premises offering health services.
People providing health services may include non-registered health practitioners. All non-registered health practitioners must comply with the code of conduct for non-registered health practitioners. The code requires, among other things, that "a health practitioner must adopt standard precautions for the control of infection in his or her practice."
Health services that continue to operate should implement processes to minimise risk of transmission, including screening clients for symptoms or contact with a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, identifying and excluding unwell staff members, social distancing measures where feasible e.g. waiting rooms, and infection control procedures including access to soap and water or hand sanitising and enhancing environmental cleaning.
The Health Care Complaints Commission can issue a prohibition order against a practitioner who fails to comply with the code and who poses a risk to the public. A prohibition order can prevent the practitioner from practising or place conditions on their practice.
To find out more, click here.
Enrolment is now open for the government's $130 billion JobKeeper Payment scheme. Eligible employers will be reimbursed a fixed amount of $1,500 per fortnight for each eligible employee. For details on how to enrol - click here.
Therapeutic and Remedial Massage Allowed to Remain Open
While spas and massage parlours providing relaxation massages must cease operating, this is distinct from therapeutic or remedial massage services which are allowed to remain open:
VIC Government
For more information visit your local state government or health department website for more information.
JobKeeper Payment Update
The Government has passed legislation for the $130 billion JobKeeper Payment to keep more Australians in jobs and support businesses affected by the Coronavirus. Discover more here.
The National Cabinet has agreed that states and territories will implement a mandatory Code of Conduct for commercial tenancies. Click here to read more.
Managing Employees During the Crisis
Finding and keeping good employees can be challenging at the best of times. We understand that you don't want - if possible - to lose them during the pandemic.
To help you understand your options, and to keep your employees' healthy and safe, please find below some handy legal articles:
Standing Down and Ending Employment
Can I stand-down employees due to COVID-19?
Can I make employee roles redundant due to COVID-19?
Employees and COVID-19: 4 Key Steps to Consider Factsheet
Options for Managing Employees
How do I manage my casual employees during COVID-19?
What can I do if my employee cannot return to Australia?
Am I liable for my employee's health if their work puts them in contact with the public?
How do I make my workplace safe for COVID-19?
What are my obligations if my employee has COVID-19?
Do my employees have to catch public transport if they feel uncomfortable?
What are my information privacy obligations if my employee has COVID-19?
Free TAFE Courses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, TAFE NSW, in conjunction with the NSW Government, is offering a number of fee-free short courses that can be completed in just days or weeks, offering practical skills and experiences across a range of industries. Discover more.
Boosting cash flow for employers
Legislation has been enacted to provide temporary cash flow support to small and medium businesses and not-for-profit organisations that employ staff during the economic downturn associated with COVID-19. This will be done through two sets of cash flow boosts delivered from 28 April 2020 to support employers to retain employees.
The Australian Government will provide tax-free cash flow boosts of between $20,000 and $100,000 to eligible businesses, delivered through credits in the activity statement system, when eligible businesses lodge their activity statements.
Grants of up to $10,000 are available
The NSW Government has announced that it will put $750 million into the Small Business Support Fund to provide grants for small and micro businesses impacted by the Coronavirus shutdown.
The funding is particularly targeted at local cafés, restaurants, corner shops, gyms and small accommodation providers and is aimed at helping those businesses keep their doors open and staff employed.
To be eligible, businesses will need to:
Have between 1-19 employees and a turnover of more than $75,000;
A payroll below the NSW Government 2019-20 payroll tax threshold of $900,000;
Have an Australian Business Number as at 1 March 2020, be based in NSW and employ staff as at 1 March 2020;
Be highly impacted by the Public Health (COVID-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order 2020 issued on 30 March 2020;
Use the funding for unavoidable business costs such as utilities, overheads, legal costs and financial advice;
Provide appropriate documentation upon application.
Applications for a small business grant of up to $10,000 will be available through Service NSW within a fortnight and remain open until 1 June 2020. Click here to read more.
Registrations now open for apprentice/trainee subsidies
Registrations are open for small businesses, and other eligible employers, to apply for a 50 per cent wage subsidy of their apprentice's or trainee's wage from 1 January 2020 to 30 September 2020. Click here to discover more.
Update on Commercial Tenancies
The National Cabinet has agreed that a mandatory code of conduct, guided by certain principles, will be developed and subsequently legislated by State and Territory Governments to apply for tenancies where the tenant is eligible for the Commonwealth Government's JobKeeper assistance and is a small- or medium-sized enterprise (less than $50 million turnover).
The principles that guide the code will be:
Where it can, rent should continue to be paid, and where there is financial distress as a result of COVID-19 (for example, the tenant is eligible for assistance through the JobKeeper program), tenants and landlords should negotiate a mutually agreed outcome
There will be a proportionality to rent reductions based on the decline in turnover to ensure that the burden is shared between landlords and tenants
There will be a prohibition on termination of leases for non-payment of rent (lockouts and eviction)
There will be a freeze on rent increases (except for turnover leases)
There will be a prohibition on penalties for tenants who stop trading or reduce opening hours
There will be a prohibition on landlords passing land tax to tenants (if not already legislated)
There will be a prohibition on landlords charging interest on unpaid rent
There will be a prohibition on landlords from making a claim to a bank guarantee or security deposit for non-payment of rent
Ensure that any legislative barriers or administrative hurdles to lease extensions are removed (so that a tenant and landlord could agree a rent waiver in return for a lease extension)
For landlords and tenants that sign up to the code of conduct, States and Territories have agreed to look at providing the equivalent of at least a three month land tax waiver and three month land tax deferral on application for eligible landowners, with jurisdictions to continue to monitor the situation. Landlords must pass on the benefits of such moves to the tenants.
In cases where parties have signed to the code of conduct, the ability for tenants to terminate leases as mentioned in the National Cabinet Statement on 29 March 2020 will not apply.
Mediation will be provided as needed through existing State and Territory mechanisms.
The proposed code of conduct will be discussed at the next meeting of the National Cabinet on Tuesday 7 April.
New JobKeeper Payment
The Australian Government has announced a new subsidy program, the JobKeeper Payment, designed to help businesses impacted by the COVID-19 to access $1500 per fortnight per employee for up to 6 months.
Under the JobKeeper Payment, businesses impacted by the Coronavirus will be able to access a wage subsidy from the Government to continue paying their employees.
Affected employers will be able to claim a fortnightly payment of $1,500 per eligible employee from 30 March 2020, for a maximum of 6 months. Eligible employees will receive a minimum of $1,500 per fortnight, before tax. It will be up to the employer if they want to pay superannuation on any additional wage paid because of JobKeeper Payments.
Full time and part time employees, including stood down employees, would be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment. Where a casual employee has been with their employer for at least the previous 12 months they will also be eligible for the Payment.
Eligible employers will receive the payment for each eligible employee that was on their payroll from 1st March 2020 and continues to be engaged by that employer – including full-time, part-time, long-term casuals and stood down employees.
Employers will be eligible for the subsidy if:
their business has a turnover of less than $1 billion and their turnover will be reduced by more than 30 per cent relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); or
their business has a turnover of $1 billion or more and their turnover will be reduced by more than 50 per cent relative to a comparable period a year ago (of at least a month); and
the business is not subject to the Major Bank Levy.
Businesses with employees
Initially, employers can register their interest in applying for the JobKeeper Payment via ato.gov.au from 30 March 2020.
Subsequently, eligible employers will be able to apply for the scheme by means of an online application.
The first payment will be received by employers from the ATO in the first week of May.
Eligible employers will need to identify eligible employees for JobKeeper Payments and must provide monthly updates to the ATO.
Participating employers will be required to ensure eligible employees will receive, at a minimum, $1,500 per fortnight, before tax.
It will be up to the employer if they want to pay superannuation on any additional wage paid because of the JobKeeper Payment.
Businesses without employees
Businesses without employees, such as the self-employed, can register their interest in applying for JobKeeper Payment via ato.gov.au from 30 March 2020.
Businesses without employees will need to provide an ABN for their business, nominate an individual to receive the payment and provide that individual's Tax File Number and provide a declaration as to recent business activity.
People who are self-employed will need to provide a monthly update to the ATO to declare their continued eligibility for the payments. Payment will be made monthly to the individual's bank account.
You can register your interest for JobKeeper NOW. Click here or click on the below button:
Public gatherings, excluding household members, have been reduced to a maximum of two people. Check State and Territory websites for further enforcement information.
Everyone should stay home unless you are:
shopping for essentials,
receiving medical care,
exercising or
travelling to work or education.
People aged over 70, aged over 60 with pre-existing conditions, or Indigenous people aged over 50 should stay home wherever possible for their own protection.
Evictions will be put on hold for 6 months by State and Territory governments. Landlords and renters are encouraged to talk about short term agreements.
If you are in self-isolation because you are confirmed or suspected to have Coronavirus (COVID-19), or have been in close contact with a confirmed case, use this form to help governments track the spread of the virus.
A safety net package of $1.1 billion has been announced by the Prime Minister to expand mental health and telehealth services, increase domestic violence services and provide more emergency food relief.
Pubs, licensed clubs and hotels (excluding accommodation), gyms, skateparks, indoor sporting venues, cinemas, beauty salons, play centres and outside playgrounds, places of worship and other public places remain closed. Restrictions on attendance at weddings, funerals and outdoor fitness classes remain in place. Supermarkets and pharmacies remain open.
New official "Coronavirus Australia" app. To stay informed download the official government "Coronavirus Australia" app in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Or join the WhatsApp channel on iOS or Android.
All travellers returning home from overseas will be quarantined in a hotel or designated facility for 14 days.
You can now check your symptoms online using the Australian Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) Symptom Checker tool.
The Australian Banking Association have advised that Australian banks will defer loan repayments for small businesses affected by COVID-19 for 6 months. If you experience financial difficulty the ABA have further info and the appropriate contact details for all member banks here.
Last night Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced beauty salons (including tanning, waxing and nail services), spas and massage parlours, yoga, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres will need to close from midnight tonight. Hairdressers can remain open, but appointments can take no longer than 30 minutes.
To read the full list of prohibited activities and venues please click here.
If you are having difficulty paying rent or are worried about breaching contractual obligations, you might like to read these articles:
My Retail Business Is Struggling. How Can I Reduce the Rent?
Coronavirus Is Impacting My Contractual Obligations. What Can I Do?
My Supplier Cannot Perform Under Their Contract Due to Coronavirus. What Can I Do?
It also helps to understand your consumer law obligations, and whether your contracts have a force majeure clause.
Consumer Law and Coronavirus: What are my Obligations?
Coronavirus and Contracts: Will a Force Majeure Clause Help?
The Australian Government is providing financial assistance to Australians. This includes income support payments, payments to support households and temporary early releases of superannuation.
Refer to the stimulus payments to households to support growth on the Government website - find out if you're eligible.
For stimulus payments to businesses - click here.
These webpages provide guidance for healthcare workers, staff, healthcare students and volunteers on COVID-19:
NSW Health - Guidelines for healthcare workers who have travelled overseas, had contact with a case, or develop an acute respiratory illness
NSW Health - Guidelines for clinics
NSW Health - Guidelines for community-based and outpatient health services
Queensland Health - Guidelines for Queensland clinicians
Department of Human Services and Health Victoria - Guidelines for clinicians
SA Health - Health topics
WA Health - Fact sheets and articles
Department of Health Northern Territory - Updates
Tasmanian Health Services - FAQ's Page
Current guidelines include:
Before attendance
Develop a system, prior to attendance (e.g. phone call, SMS), to ask patients whether they've been overseas or have had close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19 while infectious, in the 14 days before the scheduled outpatient appointment.
If the patient meets the above criteria:
consider alternate of methods of conducting the appointment if appropriate (e.g. telephone or tele-medicine)
if it is not possible to conduct the appointment in an alternate way, reschedule their appointment unless it is medically necessary
reschedule the appointment for as soon as possible after the 14 day exclusion
remind them they are to self-isolate at home for 14 days after they returned or if they have had close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19 while infectious
remind them if they develop respiratory symptoms or fever to call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 or call their GP.
Note, facilities will need to develop a system to implement the above steps, including appointing an appropriate person to assess whether or not it's safe to defer the outpatient appointment.
During attendance
Consider options to identify patients in the clinic waiting room, e.g.
waiting room signage
asking patients at reception whether they have been overseas in the last 14 days or have had close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19 while infectious, in the previous 14 days
For patients who meet the above criteria:
ask the patient to wear a surgical mask
ask the patient if they have any respiratory symptoms or fever.
For patients who meet the above criteria and who report symptoms manage the patient in conjunction with the emergency department as per the clinician guidance.
Other guidance: ensure availability of surgical masks and hand hygiene facilities
The Australian Government has announced the following facilities will be restricted from opening from midday local time 23 March 2020:
Pubs, registered and licenced clubs (excluding bottle shops attached to these venues), hotels (excluding accommodation)
Gyms and indoor sporting venues
Cinemas, entertainment venues, casinos, and night clubs
Restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery
Religious gatherings, places of worship or funerals (in enclosed spaces and other than very small groups and where the 1 person per 4 square metre rule applies).
Current advice on COVID-19 for the health and aged care sector can be found here:
https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-the-health-and-aged-care-sector
Including information on:
Public Health Unit guidelines
Temporary COVID-19 telehealth Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items
Using personal protective equipment (PPE)
When you can and cannot work
When you should be tested
What employers should do
Cleaning in the workplace
Support for the aged care workforce
Who is most at risk:
In Australia, the people most at risk of getting the virus are those who have:
recently been in in a high risk country or region (mainland China, Iran, Italy or Korea)
been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19
In addition those most at risk of serious infection are:
people with compromised immune systems (such as people who have cancer)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (as they have higher rates of chronic illness)
people with chronic medical conditions
people in group residential settings
people in detention facilities
If your clients are concerned:
They can call the National Coronavirus Helpline for advice on 1800 020 080.
Helpline for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
From today, the Morrison Government's Business Hotline -13 28 46 - will be expanded to provide specialist advisers and extended hours to support small and medium businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Operations at the contact centre will increase from five days to seven days per week, and provide an additional two hours a day of support outside standard operating hours for the first month, answering calls from 7.00 am to 11.00 pm AEST.
For more information on the assistance available for businesses please go to:
www.business.gov.au
https://www.australia.gov.au - This site will link you to the latest COVID-19 news, updates, and advice from Australian Government Agencies.
For a community committed to healing, health, and wellbeing, the last couple of weeks have been difficult for us all. At present, the situation appears to be changing on an hourly basis, and our #1 priority is to keep our team safe and to help our members.
Given this current uncertainty, please find below a statement from our insurance partner, BMS Group. We hope this will answer some of your insurance questions. Please be assured we will continue to monitor the situation very closely and advise of any further changes as they come to light.
If you have questions, please email BMS directly at iict@bmsgroup.com. The BMS team are working around the clock to provide support to customers during this difficult time. If you're waiting on a reply email, please be patient as they're doing all they can to contact customers as quickly as possible.
If you don't already, we recommend following us on Facebook to stay up-to-date at https://www.facebook.com/myiict
Stay safe friends,
Founder and CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer)
We want to share with you what we are doing at BMS Australia to protect our people and our clients, including Associations and Members. Please note that measures are in place to ensure service delivery is not impacted. Additionally, we are actively engaging with Insurers to clarify and confirm coverage interpretation to provide members as much information as possible, along with news of any developments.
COVID19 is presenting many businesses with challenges, and understanding their level of insurance coverage is just one consideration. Whilst the situation is evolving at a rapid rate, it is difficult to provide a definitive answer on each business or personal circumstance.
However we can highlight that in most circumstances, Insurers have declared COVID19 as an exclusion.
BMS is working with its strategic partners to conduct further coverage reviews and monitor the development of COVID-19 closely. We will communicate information that may impact you as it comes to light.
Thank you for your ongoing support and please feel free to connect with any member of our team if you have any questions.
BMS Customer Service Team
IICT's Exclusive Insurance Broker
Em: iict@bmsgroup.com
COVID-19 – What Does This Mean for My Business?
Can I claim loss of income due to COVID 19?
If you have business insurance you should check with your insurer. The BMS business insurance policy does not provide cover for loss of income.
Does my professional indemnity cover me for COVID 19?
We would need to understand the individual circumstances of a claim. If you have a claim you should notify your insurer immediately.
Can I practice Telehealth?
Provided it's considered within the scope of your individual practice, in most cases you can practice telehealth and, where practicable, this is recommended. If your professional indemnity policy is with BMS there is a jurisdictional limitation within Australia.
What measures should I be taking?
It is important that you follow and keep up to date with all directions and advice issued by state and federal health bodies around hygiene and cleanliness. This can be found here: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
3 crushed to death as container falls on commercial bus in Ibadan
FILE PHOTO: FRSC operatives at the scene of an accident
No fewer than three persons lost their lives, while four others sustained injuries on Tuesday, as a container fell on an 18-seater bus at Celica area on Ibadan-Ife expressway, Ibadan.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Oyo State, Mrs Uche Chukwurah, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Chukwurah said that seven people were involved in the accident, while those, who lost their lives – two males and a female, were trapped when the container fell and pushed the bus inside a ditch.
She attributed the accident to break failure and loss of control by the driver of the vehicle carrying the container.
The sector commander said that the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the State Hospital, Adeoyo, while two of the injured were taken to a private hospital in Ibadan.
She added that the only female among the injured was taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan for medical attention, owing to her critical condition.
The sector commander also said that the container had been removed from the road to ensure free flow of traffic.
So painful


Setting the Scene... Sacred Heart concludes the fall semester with a non conference match-up against ECAC member Dartmouth. The Pioneers will look to snap a five game skid while the Big Green enter the tilt with a three game winning streak. Sacred Heart was swept last weekend in a series with Army, 2-1 and 4-2, as the third period proved to be the difference in both contests. Dartmouth is rolling after victories over Providence and Harvard last weekend to bring its record back to 3-6-0. The Big Green started the season losing six straight, three of those games were one goal affairs.
The Series... The Pioneers are 0-2-0 all-time against the Big Green in a series that opened up in 2005-06. The two teams last met January 20, 2007 as Dartmouth edged out a 4-3 victory. Sacred Heart has played five games versus ECAC members this season posting a 1-3-1 record.
One For The Road... Sunday's game concludes the Pioneers grueling nine game road trip in which they are currently 1-6-1. After the holiday break Sacred Heart will return to the friendly confines of the MIP, where they are 1-1-0 this season. The Pioneers will be able to set up shop in Milford, CT as they kick-off an eight game homestand with Air Force January 2-3.
100 Point Club... Senior Dave Jarman (Toronto, ON) notched two points in a weekend series with Army to bring his career total to 100. Jarman had an assist in each of the Pioneers two games. Friday, his shot from the point led to Nick Johnson's (Windsor, CT) power play goal in the first period. Saturday night he provided another power play assist that knotted the game at 2-2 in the second period.
Relying On Offense... The Pioneers have had to score at least five goals in each of their three wins this season. Sacred Heart has notched 11 goals in their last six games leading to a 0-5-1 record.Delong Delivers... Freshman Eric Delong (Oakville, MB) had a hand in all three SHU goals against the Black Knights of Army. Delong provided a nifty back hand pass through the crease Friday night to give SHU the lead. The rookie winger was the Pioneers only source of offense Saturday night as he scored both Sacred Heart goals in the second period. Each tally evened the score and gave SHU a chance to take the lead. Delong currently ranks second among Atlantic Hockey rookies posting 0.73 points per game.
Unlucky Legatto... Goaltender Steven Legatto (Kelowna, BC) played well in two games against Army but could not pick up a victory. Legatto made 75 saves over the weekend including 41 Friday night. He turned away 20 Army shots in the second period Friday night that temporarily preserved a 1-0 SHU lead. Legatto has now played 63% of the minutes in net for the Pioneers after starting the season splitting time with junior Olivier St. Onge (Wickham, QC).
Scouting the Big Green... Dartmouth comes into Sunday's contest on a three game winning streak defeating St. Lawrence, Providence, and Harvard. Junior classmates Scott Flemming and Adam Estoclet lead the Big Green with 10 points each. Flemming is the team's best goal scorer with seven on the season. Escolet has compiled two goals and eight assists for his ten points. Sophomore Jody O'Neill spends the majority of time between the pipes for the Big Green. O'Neill has a 3.29 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. For his career O'Neill has a 2.74 GAA and a .920 save percentage.
Triple Play... Nick Johnson (Windsor, CT) and Dave Jarman (Toronto, ON) have both earned at least one point in the Pioneers last three games. The combination makes up part of the SHU power play and combined for the Pioneers lone goal Friday night along with Eric Delong (Oakville, MB). Johnson scored both against #11 Yale and Army. Jarman has one assist in each of the last three games and now has 11 helpers on the year while leading Sacred Heart with 15 total points.
Third Period Trouble... Sacred Heart has struggled in the third period in the last month. In their previous seven games the Pioneers have been outscored 12-1 in the third. Army shutdown the Pioneers 4-0 in the final stanzas over the weekend to sweep Sacred Heart.
Penalty Kill Improves... The previously struggling SHU power play held the Black Knights to 2 for 18 on the weekend with the man advantage. Sacred Heart held Army 0-7 Friday night and killed six consecutive minutes of power play time.
Up Next... After Sunady's meeting the Pioneers will enjoy the holiday break before continuing Atlantic Hockey play January 2-3 against three-time defending champion Air Force.
November 24, 2009 Sacred Heart Takes On #11 Yale Tonight!


text:
(→Background and rationale)
Recently, GO and IntAct have started to work together to improve the 'protein complex' branch in GO, making it less flat and more informative, and to provide species-agnostic GO terms that IntAct can reference to for their species-specific curation projects. At the time of writing the focus lies on human, mouse, yeast and ecoli but we take direct curation requests as well. We'd like more MODs to collaborate directly.
Here, we collect current guidelines on protein complex terms, to aid GO curators in discerning whether a protein complex belongs in GO or not, and if yes, in including all necessary information when requesting a new protein complex.
4 Complex Definition field
complex defined by its activity, via the complex-by-activity TG template
complex defined by its location, such as 'plasma membrane complex'. [Can we have a complex-by-location template?]
complex defined by its subunit composition. This may be related to protein families but it may be difficult to make it a rule/template (see below)
Note: Complexes can have multiple parents!
Complexes can be subcomplexes of larger entities and can therefore be part_of another protein complex.
Complexes cannot have several part_of relationships to different CCs as part_of must ALWAYS be true. If a complex can be part of several larger complexes or be found in several locations, such as cytoplasm and nucleus where it may have different functions, separate terms may have to be considered. [This point is still open to discussion, see https://sourceforge.net/p/geneontology/ontology-requests/10745/, now with DOS]
Complex Definition field
We discussed the structure of the definition as there are lots of different ways to build it. At the moment, Birgit starts with the function (if applicable), such as 'A protein complex capable of X function...'. Most defs contain examples of subunits but see above for difficulties. Other complex defs start with the list of subunits. We need to come up with a set of rules that suit most cases. Processes can also be mentioned in the def.
Complexes should NOT be defined by their stoichiometry but it may be mentioned in the def. The problem is that as knowledge advances and more examples are found, stoichiometry defs have to be updated, causing a lot of work. It is perfectly fine though to mention something like 'usually consists of a catalytic and a regulatory subunit and possibly further accessory subunits...' NB: Birgit created a lot of stoichiometry definitions in the beginning before we realised this was a bad idea!