New rules ease restrictions on events

GATHERINGS attracting up to 10,000 people will be allowed from December under new government guidelines for events and festivals.

Current COVID-19 rules in Tasmania restrict gatherings to 500 people indoors and 1000 outdoors.

The new framework, to come into effect from December 1, sets out three levels of events, with differing requirements for each. Free-moving indoor events will be permitted to host up to 1000 people and outdoor events up to 5000.

Seated indoor events will be allowed to occupy 50 per cent of a venue’s seating capacity, up to a maximum of 2000 people; and seated outdoor events will be allowed 50 per cent of capacity, up to 10,000 people.

And events across multiple sites will be allowed to host up to 10,000 people.

Small Business, Hospitality and Events Minister Sarah Courtney announced the changes on Friday.

“We’re really pleased that this framework will give certainty to organisers across events that are cultural, sporting or even festivals so that they can plan for the future,” she said.

“Tasmanians love their events, whether it’s a local footy game, theatre production or favourite food and wine festival, and as we move towards the commencement of largerscale events I encourage Tasmanians to show their support, be responsible and to follow COVID-safe behaviours to keep doing the things we love.”

Launceston Festivale chairman David Dunn welcomed the new rules.

“We agree that this is going to give event organisers a lot more of a clear idea about what we can do and what sort of events that we can put on,” he said.

“Festivale, as we all know, won’t be proceeding in 2021, but there will be an alternative event.

“These guidelines will now allow us early next week to finalise what that event will look like and make public announcements in relation to it.”

Labor leader Rebecca White said it was a shame that the guidelines had been developed so late and many of the summer’s most popular events would not be going ahead. david.killick@news.com.au