Milestones |
Details |
Source documents |
January 2020 |
23 January 2020 |
SA Health released advice for those who had recently
travelled through China to be aware of the signs and symptoms of coronavirus
despite no confirmed cases in Australia. |
SA Health, Novel
coronavirus information, media release, 23 January 2020. |
February 2020 |
1 February 2020 |
The SA Government announced the first two confirmed cases
of coronavirus in SA and advised anyone who had visited mainland China or had
had contact with a confirmed case to isolate for 14 days. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Premier’s
statement on coronavirus, media release, 1 February 2020. |
6 February 2020 |
SA Health announced that a dedicated collection centre had
been established to process low-risk coronavirus tests to increase turnaround
times. |
SA Health, Novel
coronavirus update, media release, 6 February 2020. |
March 2020 |
2 March 2020 |
The SA Government announced a number of amendments to the South
Australian Public Health Act to ‘allow warrants to be issued to detain a
person if that person is considered to be engaging in conduct that creates a
risk of spreading disease.’ |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Strengthening
public safety amid the threat of COVID-19, media release,
2 March 2020. |
|
The Minister for Human Services released a statement that
free flu vaccination would be available to SA’s homeless ahead of winter to
boost public immunity levels. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), Free
flu vaccine to protect homeless South Australians, media
release, 3 March 2020. |
10 March 2020 |
The Premier declared that the nation’s first drive-through
COVID-19 testing facility would open in SA the next day. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Australia’s
first drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic, media release,
10 March 2020. |
11 March 2020 |
The SA Government announced a $350 million stimulus
package to help ‘drive the South Australian economy and secure local jobs’ in
response to the coronavirus crisis. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Unprecedented
response and economic stimulus to drive SA jobs, economy in wake of
bushfires, coronavirus, media release, 11 March 2020. |
13 March 2020 |
The Minister for Education communicated advice to
education sites from SA Health and Commonwealth agencies that schools would
close for a minimum of 24 hours in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case and
only reopen on the advice of health experts when safe to do so. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education), Update
on education protocols for coronavirus, media release,
13 March 2020. |
16 March 2020 |
The SA Government announced increased South Australian
Public Transport Authority cleaning schedules with particular focus on hand
rails, validators and push buttons. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Increasing
cleaning on public transport, media release, 16 March 2020. |
17 March 2020 |
The SA Government announced a series of COVID-19 regional
clinics to ensure widespread access to testing in metropolitan and regional
areas. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), South
Australia’s first regional COVID-19 clinic opens, media release,
17 March 2020. |
|
The SA Government appointed three new deputy Chief Public
Health Officers to support the work of the Chief Public Health Officer during
the coronavirus pandemic. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Three
new deputy Chief Public Health Officers appointed to strengthen SA
COVID-19 response, media release, 17 March 2020. |
18 March 2020 |
The SA Government and South Australia Police (SAPOL)
announced that anyone arriving at Adelaide Airport on an international flight
would be given a direction by Australian Border Force outlining their
obligation to self-isolate at home for 14 days, with SAPOL conducting
spot-checks to ensure they were abiding by the Direction. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Stronger
powers to enforce COVID-19 self-isolation, media release,
18 March 2020. |
19 March 2020 |
The Minister for Child Protection announced that foster
and kinship carers would receive a one-off immediate $200 payment from the SA
Government to help families purchase cleaning and hygiene products to slow
the spread of COVID-19. |
R Sanderson (SA Minister for Child Protection),
COVID-19 one-off cash boost for our foster and kinship carers,
media release, 19 March 2020. |
|
The SA Government granted an exemption to supermarkets
under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 to allow 24-hour weekday trading
to assist in social distancing measures. |
R Lucas (SA Treasurer), Supermarkets
granted 24-hour weekday trade option and extended weekends in response to coronavirus,
media release, 19 March 2020. |
|
The SA Government established two dedicated COVID-19
facilities, at ECH College Grove and Wakefield Hospitals, to manage the
anticipated increase in hospitalisations due to COVID-19 and to reduce the
chances of community transmission. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Marshall
Government to establish two hospitals to manage the impact of coronavirus,
media release, 19 March 2020. |
20 March 2020 |
A new multi-agency COVID-19 Command Centre at SA Health
headquarters was established to help coordinate the SA Government response to
the COVID-19 pandemic. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister
for Health and Wellbeing),
COVID-19 Command Centre launched, media release, 20 March
2020. |
21 March 2020 |
The SA Government announced $6.5 million to establish a
COVID-19 healthcare facility at the Repat Health Precinct to care for mildly
acute COVID-19 patients. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Repat
health precinct to ease
COVID-19 demand, media release, 21 March 2020. |
22 March 2020 |
The Premier announced the closure of SA borders from 24
March, with anyone entering from overseas or other states or territories
required to self-isolate for 14 days. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), South Australia’s
borders to close, media release, 22 March 2020. |
23 March 2020 |
The SA Government invested more than $300,000 to develop a
dedicated telehealth service for cystic fibrosis patients and their families
to reduce the need for vulnerable people to attend hospitals during the
pandemic. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), Protecting
vulnerable South Australians from the impacts of coronavirus, media
release, 23 March 2020. |
24 March 2020 |
The SA Government increased contract cleaning services in
SA government schools as part of an additional $5 million to boost
hygiene measures. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Government
increases hygiene support for schools, media release, 24 March
2020. |
|
The SA Government announced the opening of a second
metropolitan COVID-19 drive-through testing facility to increase testing
options for South Australians. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Second
metropolitan COVID-19 testing drive through opens, media
release, 24 March 2020. |
25 March 2020 |
The Attorney-General announced that cafés, small bars and
local clubs would be able to apply for a free short-term and temporary
licence to enable them to sell take-away liquor to allow businesses to stay
open during the pandemic. |
V Chapman (SA Attorney-General), Temporary
measures to support South Australia’s hospitality sector, media
release, 25 March 2020. |
|
The Education Minister announced the launch of the Our
Learning SA website to support students learning at home through access to
curated curriculum resources across all learning areas. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education),
New central website to support home learning, media release,
25 March 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced it was boosting the number of
nurses and midwives during the coronavirus pandemic by fast-tracking the recruitment
and upskilling of health professionals. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), Nurses
and midwives boost for COVID-19 response, media release,
25 March 2020. |
26 March 2020 |
The SA Government announced a $650 million Jobs Rescue
Package with two parts:
- the $300 million Business and Jobs Support Fund to support
individual businesses and industry sectors directly affected by coronavirus and
- the $250 million Community and Jobs Support Fund to support
community organisations, sporting, arts and recreational bodies and
non-profit organisations, and to help with training of South Australians
seeking new skills and employment.
|
S Marshall (SA Premier), $1 billion
stimulus package to save SA jobs, businesses, media release,
26 March 2020. |
27 March 2020 |
The SA Government released a statement that movement into
SA’s Indigenous communities was to be restricted to ‘minimise the risk of the
virus entering more remote areas where medical facilities are limited’. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Travel
restrictions for South Australia’s remote areas, media release,
27 March 2020. |
|
The SA Government introduced a $10 million maintenance
stimulus as part of the $1 billion economic response to the impacts of
coronavirus. The stimulus aimed to improve up to 1,000 SA homes—with work
including painting, lighting and roofing upgrades—and keep local contractors
in jobs. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), $10 million
maintenance stimulus to boost jobs, economy, media release,
27 March 2020. |
|
The SA Government introduced a number of measures in
Service SA centres to help stop the spread of COVID-19, including by:
- easing the burden on medical professionals
- enabling more transactions to be done online
- ensuring appropriate social distancing in centres and
- waiving some transaction fees for customers unable to complete
a transaction due to circumstances relating to the COVID-19 virus.
|
S Knoll (SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and
Local Government), Service
SA changes to stop the spread, media release, 27 March 2020. |
28 March 2020 |
The Premier advised that from 28 March 2020, individuals
who did not self-isolate when required would be fined $1,000 and businesses
flouting social distancing laws would be fined $5,000. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), New
process to control spread of COVID-19, media release, 28 March
2020. |
29 March 2020 |
The SA Government rolled out a plan to accommodate COVID-19
patients requiring community care in the Marion Holiday Park to support the
economy and offer up to 278 additional beds for COVID-19 patients. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Strong
plan to ease hospital pressure amid coronavirus, media
release, 29 March 2020. |
30 March 2020 |
The SA Government encouraged vulnerable South Australians
to register for the Red Cross Telecross REDi service. The service offers free
daily calls to check on the welfare of vulnerable South Australians. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), New
COVID-19 welfare calls activated for our most vulnerable, media
release, 30 March 2020. |
|
The Department of Education closed all SA schools, early
childhood facilities and Out-of-School-Hours Care services in and between the
towns of Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Angaston, Lyndoch and Williamstown to stop the
spread of COVID-19. |
SA Health, COVID-19
update, media release, 30 March 2020. |
31 March 2020 |
The SA Government rolled out the South Australian Virtual
Support Network to provide a localised service for South Australians who need
additional mental health support during
COVID-19. The Virtual Support Network included a mental health support line
staffed by Lifeline counsellors to assist people with the increased anxiety,
fear and distress the pandemic created. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), SA
COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line, media release,
31 March 2020. |
|
The SA and Australian governments reached an agreement
with SA packaging company Detmold Group to hire an additional 160 staff members
to produce 145 million masks from its manufacturing plant in Adelaide for SA
Health and the National Medical Stockpile. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), SA
company to make life-saving face masks in the fight against COVID-19,
media release, 31 March 2020. |
April 2020 |
1 April 2020 |
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing announced changes
under an emergency measure that would enable South Australians in need of an
emergency supply of medicines during the coronavirus pandemic to temporarily
seek their medication without a prescription, to minimise the burden of the
pandemic on vulnerable South Australians. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), Providing
essential medicines to South Australians, media release, 1 April
2020. |
|
The SA Government announced 150 SA public servants would
be recommissioned to assist in contact tracing efforts, while another 150
would be on standby in case caseloads escalated. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), Major
boost for coronavirus contact tracing, media release,
1 April 2020. |
|
In response to COVID-19, Service SA suspended a range of
services, including practical driving assessments, Rider Safe training and
assessment courses, and non-essential transactions at centres. |
S Knoll (SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and
Local Government), Further
safety measures for Service SA centres, media release, 1 April
2020. |
|
The SA Government launched the Export Recovery Taskforce
to ‘identify impacts across export sectors and to coordinate government
intervention and support for affected businesses’. |
D Ridgway (SA Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment),
Industry
taskforce to help keep out exports moving, media release,
1 April 2020. |
3 April 2020 |
The SA Government implemented an ‘immediate deferral of
mineral exploration licence fees and annual petroleum and geothermal licence
fees due in the next six months’ to provide the mining and petroleum sectors
in SA with some financial relief during COVID-19. |
D van Holst Pellekaan (SA Minister for Energy and Mining),
Fee
relief for COVID-19-hit resources sector, media release,
3 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government launched a flexible learning platform
which complemented the Our Learning SA website and enabled teachers to create
their own individual online learning spaces to deliver lessons and content to
students in the classroom and at home. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education), Virtual
classrooms to assist student learning, media
release, 3 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced that several of Adelaide’s
public transport services would be temporarily suspended from 3 April. |
S Knoll (SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local
Government), Public
transport changes in response to coronavirus, media release,
3 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced the provision of fee and rent
relief for nearly 300 South Australian nature-based tourism businesses affected
by COVID-19, including waiving commercial tour operator licence fees and
rents for properties leased on Crown Land. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Fee
and rent relief for nature-based tourism business, media release,
3 April 2020. |
4 April 2020 |
The SA Premier urged South Australians to stay home during
Easter and to follow the advice of health experts to limit the spread of
COVID-19. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), For
the health and wellbeing of all South Australians—please stay home this
Easter, media release, 4 April 2020. |
|
A $16 million VET Market Continuity Package was announced
by the SA Government to support more than 100 contracted Registered Training
Organisations to continue to deliver skills to their students across SA. |
D Pisoni (SA Minister for Innovation and Skills), $16
million VET continuity package to maintain skills pipeline, media
release, 4 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced an agreement with the
Australian Government which would enable the ‘full mobilisation of the
private hospital sector across the State as required during the pandemic’ to
ease the pressure on public hospitals. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), Historic
alliance between public and private hospitals to defeat COVID-19, media
release, 4 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced a $1.6 million funding boost
to help vulnerable South Australians, including:
- an additional $500,000 for the food relief sector
- $800,000 for charities so they can give emergency relief to
vulnerable South Australians, including supermarket and pharmacy vouchers and
help with cost of living pressures
- $185,000 to the Salvation Army, which provides the Affordable
SA Helpline and National Debt Helpline SA branch and
- $144,000 to existing providers within the Statewide Financial
Counselling Program.
|
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), $1.6 million
funding boost to help vulnerable, media release, 5 April
2020. |
6 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced it had opened more
high-dependency beds in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and was training
about 80 nurses to ensure they had the necessary skills to work in the
high-dependency unit. This was part of a suite of measures to bolster the
health system in anticipation of the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), More
beds and stronger workforce at WCH, media release,
6 April 2020. |
7 April 2020 |
SA Health announced the first COVID-19 related death in
SA. |
SA Health, COVID-19
update, media release, 7 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government introduced its legislative response to
the coronavirus. Measures in the Bill included ensuring JobKeeper payments
are exempt from payroll tax and restricting evictions in cases of extreme
financial hardship. |
V Chapman (SA Attorney-General), Protecting
the community and local jobs, media release, 7 April
2020. |
8 April 2020 |
The SA Government encouraged eligible South Australians to
book a free flu shot through the National Immunisation Program (NIP) to help
minimise the impacts of coronavirus. Adults and children who were homeless
and not eligible for the NIP could receive the influenza vaccine for free
under the new State Funded Influenza Program. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing), 2020
flu vaccine now available, media release, 8 April 2020. |
9 April 2020 |
Under the $650 million Jobs Rescue Package, the SA
Government announced fee relief for the commercial seafood and charter boat
sector. |
T Whetstone (SA Minister for Primary Industries and
Regional Development), Fee
relief for fishing industry in wake of coronavirus, media release,
9 April 2020. |
|
A $2 million partnership between Chesser Chemicals and the
SA Government was announced to provide up to 20,000 bottles of hand sanitiser
to hospitals, schools and other government services. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister
for Health and Wellbeing), SA
business to supply hand sanitiser, media release, 9 April 2020. |
|
The new COVID-19 Relief Call Centre was activated by the
SA Government to support people requiring personal hardship assistance, food
relief, emotional and wellbeing support, and short-term COVID-19
accommodation advice (for those unable to quarantine at home). |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), New,
dedicated relief hotline activated to support South Australians in need,
media release, 9 April 2020. |
|
Tens of thousands of South Australian small businesses and
NGOs were offered a one-off payment of $10,000 emergency cash in response to
the coronavirus crisis. The grants were funded by the SA Government’s
$650 million Jobs Rescue Package. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), $10,000
emergency cash grants for small businesses impacted by COVID-19,
media release, 9 April 2020. |
10 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced it was recruiting more
doctors, pharmacists and allied and scientific health professionals to manage
the increasing demand on the SA health system. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Community
recruitment drive for united coronavirus response, media release,
10 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government allocated a $5.2 million package from
the Business and Jobs Support Fund to the SA taxi industry. The package
included a $4,300 ex gratia payment per metropolitan taxi to over 1,000 taxi
operators, and waiving a full year of fees. |
S Knoll (SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and
Local Government), Financial
support for taxi industry, media release, 10 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government contributed $200,000 to a clinical trial
to test the effectiveness of an established tuberculosis vaccine in
preventing the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, with about 500 SA hospital
staff to be invited to participate. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Frontline
heroes join vaccine trial to boost COVID-19 health defence, media
release, 11 April 2020. |
12 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced that it would provide free car
parking for hospital staff during the coronavirus pandemic. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Free
parking for hospital staff during pandemic, media release,
12 April 2020. |
13 April 2020 |
The SA Government expanded the capacity of the COVID-19
hotline by hiring 850 new call-centre staff to operate the COVID-19
Information Line seven days a week. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Coronavirus
hotline to expand significantly, media release, 13 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced an expansion of COVID-19
testing criteria, allowing people with cold or respiratory symptoms to be
tested. The expanded testing criteria would reassure symptomatic South
Australians they are not infected with coronavirus, and would provide health
clinicians with a greater understanding of the prevalence of the virus in the
state. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister for
Health and Wellbeing),
COVID-19 testing blitz for South Australia, media release,
15 April 2020. |
17 April 2020 |
SA Water and SA Health began testing wastewater as a means
of detecting COVID-19 clusters in SA and creating a clearer picture of the
spread of COVID-19 in the community. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), COVID-19
testing boost, media release, 17 April 2020. |
|
The SA Attorney-General announced that the Legal Services
Commission would boost the capacity of its free telephone and online legal
assistance services in response to COVID-19. |
V Chapman (SA Attorney-General), COVID-19
legal assistance for South Australians, media release, 17 April
2020. |
|
The Premier of South Australia announced funding of
$684,000 to roll out SA Pathology’s rapid testing capability. Whereas
conventional testing took around 24 hours, rapid testing would provide
results in less than 60 minutes. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Test
results for COVID-19 in just one hour, media release,
17 April 2020. |
18 April 2020 |
The SA Government revealed that the first face mask
testing facility in Australia was to be situated in Adelaide. The facility
would be a collaboration between the state government, Flinders University
and the University of South Australia, supported by a grant from the state
government of $450,000 through the Research Commercialisation and Startup
Fund, and would focus on testing respirators and surgical masks. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), New
face mask testing facility, media release, 18 April 2020. |
21 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced a $13.8 million support
package as part of the Community and Jobs Support Fund to help the
international education sector. |
D Ridgway (SA Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment),
$13.8m
for SA’s international education sector, media release, 21 April
2020. |
22 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced a total of $7.8 million
to be paid to eligible South Australians receiving the Centrelink Jobseeker
Payment in the form of a one-off payment of $500 to help with everyday
expenses. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), $7.8
million cash boost to help with cost of living, media release,
22 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government reviewed the requirements for witnessing
documents such as Statutory Declarations in response to a number of Justice
of the Peace services being withdrawn due to COVID-19. The list was expanded
to include government employees, accountants, religious ministers, medical
professionals and bank officers. |
V Chapman (SA Attorney-General), Expanding
criteria for witnessing Statutory Declarations, media release,
22 April 2020. |
23 April 2020 |
The SA Education Minister urged parents to send their
children to school or preschool from the start of Term 2 the following week, based
on the advice of SA Health that schools, preschools and early childhood
facilities were low-risk and should remain open. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education), Health
advice clear on schools, media release, 23 April 2020. |
|
The SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing praised the
chemo@home program which allows eligible patients undergoing cancer treatment
at the Royal Adelaide Hospital to undergo treatment at home, minimising the
need for them to attend the hospital during the pandemic. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Protecting
vulnerable South Australians from COVID-19, media release,
23 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced a $32 million economic
stimulus package for school and preschool sites across SA to help with
maintenance work. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education), School
and preschool maintenance package to deliver local economic stimulus,
media release, 23 April 2020. |
24 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced a $120 million land tax relief
package, including a $50 million emergency scheme offering eligible landlords
a 25 per cent reduction on their 2019–20 land tax liability on affected
properties. Landlords would be required to pass the full benefit of the
reductions on to their tenants. |
R Lucas (SA Treasurer), Landlords
and tenants benefit from extra $50m in land tax relief, media
release, 24 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced state government agencies
would provide full rent relief for tenants of commercial, retail, industrial
and other non-residential sites that had been forced to close as a result of
COVID-19. |
S Knoll (SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and
Local Government), State
Government provides rent relief for businesses, media release,
24 April 2020. |
26 April 2020 |
The SA Government urged South Australians with medical
issues not to delay seeking medical advice for fear of contracting COVID-19
after a concerning reduction in presentations to emergency, ambulance call-outs
and GP visits. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Our
health system is for all South Australians, media release,
26 April 2020. |
27 April 2020 |
A new expert surgical advisory group was established to
guide the gradual recommencement of elective surgery and provide advice on
surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Australia. |
S Wade (SA Minster for Health and Wellbeing), Experts
to guide elective surgery restart, media release, 27 April 2020. |
|
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing announced that one
million additional Level 3 face masks that were sourced outside the national
stockpile would arrive in South Australia to assist clinicians during COVID-19. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Additional
PPE in time for elective surgery restart, media release,
27 April 2020. |
28 April 2020 |
The SA Government launched the Export Fundamentals
Program, consisting of four online sessions, to help local exporters upskill
in preparation for when markets reopen. |
D Ridgway (SA Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment),
New
program bolsters support for South Australian exporters, media
release, 28 April 2020. |
29 April 2020 |
The SA Government committed $3.35 million towards COVID-19
Support Grants to support organisations that provide assistance to vulnerable
and disadvantaged South Australians. Each organisation could apply for up to
$10,000. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), New,
COVID-19 Support Grants of up to $10,000 available, media release,
29 April 2020. |
30 April 2020 |
The SA Government announced the COVID-19 GP Assessment
Team and nurse-led SA Health Remote Monitoring Service to assist patients
with COVID-19 who are isolating at home. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), GP
and nurse teams support COVID-19 patients at home, media release,
30 April 2020. |
|
The SA Government provided $2.4 million to fund a 24/7
men’s domestic violence hotline to help mitigate violent behaviours in the
home during COVID-19. The hotline was a response to an expected increase in
domestic, family and sexual violence as a result of the pandemic. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), $2.4 million
boost to tackle DV in SA, media release, 30 April 2020. |
|
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing announced
continuation of SA’s COVID-19 testing ‘blitz’. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister
for Health and Wellbeing), Full
marks for SA during COVID-19 testing, media release,
30 April 2020. |
May 2020 |
2 May 2020 |
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing noted a significant
increase in telehealth services during COVID-19, with an increase of nearly
150 per cent in the period from February to April this year compared to last
year. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Embracing
technology to provide better health services during COVID, media
release, 2 May 2020. |
3 May 2020 |
The SA Government established a Transition Committee to
guide the process of moving out of the COVID-19 emergency and restoring the
social and economic health of the state. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), SA
establishes transition team to manage post COVID-19, media release,
3 May 2020. |
5 May 2020 |
The SA Government announced a relief package to support
eight council-run childcare centres across SA that were not eligible for
JobKeeper. The package would cost $700,000 over a 12‑week period. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education), Council-run
child care centres receive support package, media release, 5 May
2020. |
6 May 2020 |
The Minister for Environment and Water announced the
launch of the Open Your World wellbeing strategy and website as a single
source of information on wellbeing during COVID-19. The website would include
information on staying fit and healthy, activities for kids, and online
resources for learning and skills development. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Ground-breaking
new wellbeing strategy to Open Your World, media release, 6 May
2020. |
|
The SA Government committed $20,000 to Volunteering
SA&NT to ensure essential services that rely on volunteers could continue
to operate during the pandemic. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), Funding
boost to mobilise volunteers in response to COVID-19, media release,
6 May 2020. |
|
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing announced the
resumption of cross-border kidney transplants following the lifting of some
restrictions surrounding the surgery. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Strong
plan easing the COVID burden, media release, 7 May 2020. |
9 May 2020 |
SA Health announced the release of the SA roadmap for
easing COVID-19 restrictions, with Step 1 coming into effect on 11 May 2020. |
SA Health, COVID-19 update
9 May 2020, media release, 9 May 2020. |
10 May 2020 |
The SA Government contributed $65.5 million of its $1
billion stimulus package to support local community projects across SA. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Knoll (SA Minister for
Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government), Local
projects to provide stimulus boost, media release, 10 May 2020. |
|
The Minister for Health and Wellbeing announced a
dedicated SA Pathology team to respond to a potential COVID-19 outbreak in
aged care or other residential facilities. The team would have the capacity
to immediately test everyone in a facility if an outbreak occurs. |
S Wade (SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing), Crack
team at SA Pathology to protect aged care residents, media release,
10 May 2020. |
11 May 2020 |
The SA Government launched a free parenting webinar for parents
struggling during COVID-19. The webinar addressed issues such as increased screen
time among children and young people. |
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), Free
parenting webinar tackles COVID-19 concerns, media release,
11 May 2020. |
12 May 2020 |
The SA Government announced the lifting of the Appropriate
Surgery Direction under the Emergency Management Declaration, enabling
elective surgery to resume. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister
for Health and Wellbeing), Operation
restore elective surgery, media release, 12 May 2020. |
|
The SA Attorney-General announced legislative measures
including speeding up infrastructure projects and ensuring clarity in
disputes between commercial landlords and tenants. |
V Chapman (SA Attorney-General), New
protections for South Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic, media
release, 12 May 2020. |
14 May 2020 |
The Minister for Innovation and Skills reported results
from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Survey which showed
unemployment in SA increased from 6.3 per cent in March to 7.2 per cent in
April 2020. This increase was thought to be due to, but not fully reflective
of, the effects of COVID-19 on the labour market. |
D Pisoni (SA Minister for Innovation and Skills), SA
unemployment rate increase in line with increase nationally, media
release, 14 May 2020. |
|
The SA Government announced that South Australians would
be able to access all dental treatments through SA Dental Service due to the
easing of COVID-19 restrictions. |
SA Health, SA
dental service further easing of restrictions, media release,
14 May 2020. |
15 May 2020 |
The Minister for Environment and Water announced the
opening of campsites and national parks with amended services to ensure
social distancing could be maintained as SA restrictions ease. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Iconic
state tourism sites to re-open as restrictions ease, media release,
15 May 2020. |
16 May 2020 |
The SA Treasurer announced new regulations made under the COVID-19
Emergency Response Act 2020 to protect tenants from eviction and provide
greater certainty around dispute resolution and rent relief during COVID-19. |
R Lucas (SA Treasurer), New
laws to assist commercial landlords, tenants impacted by COVID-19,
media release, 16 May 2020. |
|
The Premier announced the construction of new treatment
spaces at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital to help mitigate the health and
economic impacts of COVID19. The construction would allow a quick response to
any new wave of COVID-19 while also creating jobs. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister
for Health and Wellbeing), Expanding
COVID capacity while creating jobs at Women’s and Children’s Hospital,
media release, 16 May 2020. |
18 May 2020 |
The SA Government announced a strategic COVID-19 testing
regime targeting healthcare workers, residential aged care workers, transport
workers, homeless persons, prison inmates, and seasonal workers. |
S Marshall (SA Premier) and S Wade (SA Minister
for Health and Wellbeing), World-class
COVID-19 testing bolstered, media release, 18 May 2020. |
19 May 2020 |
The SA Government announced the eCommerce Accelerator
Program (eCAP) with funding of $500,000 to help SA exporters move to online
platforms to sell their goods in response to the challenges presented by
COVID-19. |
D Ridgway (SA Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment),
SA
exporters get a boost to sell products online, media release,
19 May 2020. |
|
The SA Premier announced new training measures for
hospitality staff in preparation for the hospitality sector reopening as
restrictions ease. The training would be jointly funded by the SA and
Australian governments with each contributing $2.6 million. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), and D Pisoni (SA Minister
for Innovation and Skills), Helping
businesses get back to work with ‘COVID-clean’ toolkit, media
release, 19 May 2020. |
24 May 2020 |
More than 1,000 people per day were visiting the SA
Government’s Seasonal Jobs SA website, launched the previous week, targeting
unemployed South Australians and getting them involved in seasonal work such
as fruit picking or grape harvesting. |
T Whetstone (SA Minister for Primary Industries and
Regional Development), Seasonal
jobs are ripe for the picking, media release, 24 May 2020. |
|
The SA Government’s $5 million Nature-Based Tourism
Co-Investment Fund was launched as part of the Parks 2025 strategy. Grants
would be provided to organisations to partner with the state government to
deliver sustainable, quality tourism experiences in South Australia. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Big
boost for nature-based tourism in South Australia, media release,
24 May 2020. |
25 May 2020 |
The Premier announced accelerated changes to COVID-19
restrictions, with pubs, gyms, cinemas, places of worship, beauty salons and
other sites to be allowed up to 80 people from 1 June as long as they
comply with social distancing safeguards. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), Fast-tracking
economic recovery, media release, 25 May 2020. |
28 May 2020 |
The SA Government enlisted five local companies to produce
up to 7,000 clear plastic face shields per day as an additional line of
defence for healthcare workers in the fight against COVID-19. The move
created 55 jobs to help stimulate the economy. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), New
local jobs powering South Australia’s health response, media release,
28 May 2020. |
29 May 2020 |
The SA Government made an additional $1.6 million
available to councils to address the spike in household waste being produced
in South Australia during the coronavirus pandemic. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Boost
to household food waste recycling funding, media release, 29 May
2020. |
29 May 2020 |
The SA Government committed $15 million to overhaul
audio-video link technology within South Australia’s justice system to
increase flexibility and ensure matters could still be heard during the COVID-19
pandemic. |
V Chapman (SA Attorney-General), Marshall
Government’s stimulus to provide $15 million for our courts, police and corrections,
media release, 29 May 2020. |
|
The SA Government released its Principles for COVID-19
Public Transport Operations in response to Australian Health Protection
Principal Committee advice to keep South Australians safe on buses, trains
and trams. Key measures included:
- a trial to extend the morning and afternoon peak periods on the
Gawler line
-
additional marking on platforms
- updated signage and posters and
-
accelerated introduction of new smartphone apps providing
commuters with better real-time information.
|
S Knoll (SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and
Local Government), Public
transport road map to keep South Australians safe, media release,
29 May 2020. |
|
SA Health announced the opening of South Australia’s first
mobile testing clinic to target the testing of transport workers such as
interstate truck drivers. |
SA Health, COVID-19
testing for transport workers begins, media release, 30 May
2020. |
31 May 2020 |
The SA Government launched a $1.5 million Welcome Back
campaign signalling the start of the recovery process for regional South
Australian communities following drought, bushfires and COVID-19. |
S Marshall (SA Premier), ‘Welcome
Back’ tourism campaign to support our regions, media release,
31 May 2020. |
June 2020 |
1 June 2020 |
SA Health announced the commencement of Step 2 of the SA Roadmap for Easing COVID-19
Restrictions. |
SA Health, COVID-19
update 1 June, media release, 1 June 2020. |
5 June 2020 |
A new scheme worth approximately $10 million was announced
by the SA Government to provide rent relief to eligible South Australians
through a $1,000 grant to their landlords. The scheme was part of the
Government’s $1 billion economic stimulus package to support local jobs,
businesses and livelihoods during
COVID-19. |
R Lucas (SA Treasurer), $1000
rent relief grants to further support residential tenants, media
release, 5 June 2020. |
10 June 2020 |
The SA Government allocated $600,000 from its $650 million
rescue package to target domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
The funding included:
- $500,000 to enable the domestic violence disclosure scheme to
continue for an additional 12 months and
- $100,000 to continue a phone app linking at‑risk women to
police and domestic violence services.
|
M Lensink (SA Minister for Human Services), $600,000
boost to extend DV disclosure scheme and life-saving app, media
release, 10 June 2020. |
11 June 2020 |
The Minister for Education announced grants of $20,000 to
every government preschool in SA to complete priority maintenance work. The
grants were part of a $7.6 million stimulus package in response to COVID-19. |
J Gardner (SA Minister for Education), Preschool
grants to stimulate local economies, media release, 11 June
2020. |
|
The Minister for Primary Industries and Regional
Development brought forward a special $15 million stimulus round of the
Regional Growth Fund to help fast-track the recovery of regional economies
that were hit hard by COVID-19 restrictions. Applicants could seek grants
from $50,000 to $2 million. |
T Whetstone (SA Minister for Primary Industries and
Regional Development), $15 million
Regional Growth Fund to stimulate economy, media release,
11 June 2020. |
18 June 2020 |
The Treasurer said that significant budget deficits and
increasing debt were the consequence of necessary spending on preparing the
SA health system for the pandemic and to save as many lives and jobs as
possible. The Government remained committed to its $12.9 billion job-creating
infrastructure program to boost the economy. |
R Lucas (SA Treasurer), Budget
impact of COVID-19 to save lives and jobs, media release,
18 June 2020. |
19 June 2020 |
The Minister for Environment and Water announced that the
SA Government would be prioritising infrastructure projects that would
improve water delivery and create jobs across the Murray-Darling Basin as
part of the
COVID-19 stimulus response. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Major
water infrastructure projects to be prioritised across Murray-Darling Basin,
media release, 19 July 2020. |
25 June 2020 |
The Minister for Environment and Water commended the
#GoingGreenForParkies campaign which lit up iconic buildings across Adelaide
with green light to acknowledge the work of parks and recreation staff
throughout SA who kept parks open during a time of significantly increased
use. |
D Speirs (SA Minister for Environment and Water), Green
light to celebrate vital open spaces, media release, 25 June
2020. |
29 June 2020 |
SA Health announced the commencement of Step 3 of the SA Roadmap for Easing COVID-19
Restrictions. |
SA Health, COVID-19
update 29 June, media release, 29 June 2020. |