First Nations Guide to COVID-19 Law
Governments have introduced wide-ranging temporary measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and keep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities safe. The police have powers to enforce these public health directions.
This may change daily life in Indigenous communities. Restrictions and supports related to COVID-19 in Indigenous communities vary from state to state, so please ensure you read these fact sheets detailing the situation in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory to learn more.
Federal, state and territory governments
Australian Government – https://www.australia.gov.au/
Australian Health Protection Plan Principal Committee (AHPPPC) – key decision-making committee for health emergencies comprised of all state and territory Chief Health Officers and chaired by the Australian Chief Medical Officer:
- Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (the COVID-19 Plan)
- Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations
Australian Capital Territory – https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/
New South Wales – https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/find-facts-about-covid-19
Northern Territory – https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/
Queensland – https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/
South Australia – https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/
Tasmania – https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/
Victoria – https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
Western Australia – https://www.wa.gov.au/government/covid-19-coronavirus
Other national organisations and websites
Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet – https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/learn/health-topics/infectious-conditions/covid-19-updates-and-information/
Australian Medical Association – COVID-19: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Public Health Association of Australia – https://www.phaa.net.au/about-us/coronavirus
Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Disease Emergencies (APPRISE) – https://www.apprise.org.au/resources/2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/
International organisations and websites
Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Center – https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
United Nations – https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus
USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
USA National Institutes of Health information – https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus
World Health Organization – https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Relevant health research
Medical Journal of Australia – https://www.mja.com.au/journal/covid-19
The Lancet (COVID-19 Resource Centre) –https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus?dgcid=kr_pop-up_tlcoronavirus20
The Lancet Voice (podcasts about COVID-19 related issues) – https://www.thelancet.com/the-lancet-voice
The British Medical Journal – https://www.bmj.com/
The New Zealand Medical Journal – https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
COVID-19 infectious control training
This 30-minute online training module is for health care workers in all settings. It covers the fundamentals of infection prevention and control for COVID-19.
Mask Advice
Wearing a mask can help protect you and those around you if you are in an area with community transmission, and physical distancing is not possible, like on public transport.
While a mask can be used as an extra precaution, you must continue to:
- stay at home if unwell
- maintain physical distance (more than 1.5m) from other people, when out
- avoid large gatherings and crowded indoor spaces
- practise hand and respiratory hygiene
