2020-08-31 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                            31 AUGUST 2020


7.    COVID-19 Event Reference Group

The ‘Roadmap to easing Queensland’s Restrictions’ is a State Government plan which provides a
gradual and staged approach to reconnect communities and facilitate economic recovery by
supporting business, industry and jobs. The Roadmap stages are implemented in response to
COVID-19 transmission rates in Queensland and interstate.

Queensland’s recovery is not occurring in a continuous easing trend, instead restrictions have
tightened and eased in response to COVID-19 clusters and community transmission both in
Queensland and interstate. This pattern of easing and tightening is likely to remain in place for the
foreseeable future. Consequently, it is recommended Council develops an Event Decision Making
Framework based on a fixed set of criteria (outlined above) and appoints a COVID-19 Reference
Group to administer the Framework and modify it as COVID-19 community transmission ebbs and
flows and other related factors emerge. Fundamental, over-arching risk factors Council should
consider include:
     Experience within Queensland and New Zealand highlights border control measures do not
      create an impenetrable force field of protection against COVID-19 (see Attachment 1); and
     Evidence has shown there will always be a lag between the time of infections to the discovery
      and response to outbreaks by authorities.

Given these risk factors and the potential for mass gathering events to spread COVID-19 it is
proposed Council:
    Adopt a precautionary approach to approving large scale events;
    Implement its own ‘wait and see’ approach to easing control measures adopted by the State
     to assess the efficacy of those measures and their impact on COVID-19 transmission before
     considering changing its approach; and
    Establish its own COVID-19 Event Reference Group.

It is recommended Council’s ongoing approach to managing the issues noted above be facilitated
through the establishment of a COVID-19 Event Reference Group. The purpose of the group will
be to:
       Review and make decisions regarding event application requests as per Category 3 EDMF
        assessment criteria (see above);
       Review Category 3 EDMF assessment criteria having regard to current health advice from
        the State, emerging risk factors etc.; and
       Consider timing and risk of allowing Category 1 and 2 events to proceed which will inform a
        further report to Council in February 2021.
       Consider opportunities to re-establish events industry and economy.

Membership of the Event Reference Group is proposed to include – Director Corporate Services,
Director Community Services (joint chairpersons), Property Branch, Community Development
Manager, Economic Development Manager, COVID Taskforce Chairperson and other external
groups or individuals as invited.




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