There have been several COVID-19 updates at a national level in the last week. These include altered mask recommendations, new vaccine eligibility, and changes to international travel. Further information on each is outlined below, along with a state-based breakdown of measures that may affect your business. 

Winter COVID-19 advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee
The COVID-19 reinfection period has been reduced from 12 weeks to 28 days. Symptomatic cases four weeks after an initial positive result are now classed as new cases. Read more from AHPPC here.

National advice on a winter (fourth) vaccine dose has been updated 
Fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses are now available to all those over the age of 30 and in some instances, to those over 16 years of age. Read more here.
 

International travel restrictions lifted
Unvaccinated Australians are now permitted to travel internationally without the need for an individual exemption. Read more here.

Below you will find links to the current measures and recommendations in place in each state. Should any state change its guidance or mandates in light of the current surge in cases, you will find the most up-to-date information via the sources below.

New South Wales
A fourth vaccine dose is now available to people over the age of 30 and is recommended to those over the age of 50 and those at greater risk of severe illness. Mask recommendations have changed. Read more about current rules and restrictions here.

Victoria
A fourth vaccine dose is now available to people over the age of 30 and is recommended to those over the age of 50 and those at greater risk of severe illness. Read more here.

Find updated recommendations on masks for your staff here.

Queensland
A fourth vaccine dose is now available to people over the age of 30 and is recommended to those over the age of 50 and those at greater risk of severe illness. Read more here.

Current measures in place for Queensland, including updated mask recommendations, can be found here.

South Australia
South Australia is currently only recommending a fourth (winter) vaccine dose to the severely immunocompromised or those suffering a chronic condition between 18 and 64 years of age. Read more here.

The current guidance on face masks and other COVID-19 measures in South Australia can be found here.

Western Australia
A fourth vaccine dose is now available and encouraged for everyone over the age of 30. Read more here.  

Find up-to-date information on COVID-19 mandates and measures in Western Australia here.


Tasmania
A fourth vaccine dose is now recommended for people over the age of 50. It is available to those over the age of 30, however, the benefits in this age group are less certain at this stage. Read more here.  

See changes to mask recommendations in Tasmania from 1 July here.

Northern Territory
A fourth vaccine dose is now available to anyone over the age of 30, and anyone over the age of 16 with a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness. There are no active recommendations. Read more here.

Find up-to-date information on COVID-19 mandates and measures in the Northern Territory here.
 

Australian Capital Territory
A fourth vaccine dose is now available to people over the age of 30 and is recommended to those over the age of 50 and those at greater risk of severe illness. Read more here.

Find up-to-date information on COVID-19 mandates and measures in the ACT here.

Advocacy Update: Dental Sector Working Group

As part of ongoing collaboration with the TGA and the wider medical community, ADIA regularly participates in the Australian Dental Sector Working Group (DSWG).

The Meeting Statement for the DSWG meeting held on 31 March 2022 is now available to view. The  consultative process to develop a new regulatory framework for personalised medical devices is ongoing. ADIA members can stay updated on the process through these CEO communications. 

If you have any questions about how you can get involved with ADIA advocacy work, feedback, or suggestions, please contact me via email.

Following another major weather event this week, with many ADIA members impacted, I wish to bring your attention to the latest Government flood relief package available.

Late Tuesday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced a joint package to add to the various support measures available since earlier this year.

Eligibility is determined by Local Government Area (LGA) and payable from today. Individuals, sole traders, and employees can claim payments through MyGov for the following types of assistance:

Australian Government Disaster Relief Payment (AGDRP)

The AGDRP payment is available for individuals affected by this week’s weather event within a listed LGA. The payment is up to $1,000 for adults and $400 for children who have experienced significant loss, damage to home or property, or injury. The payment is a one-off and not means-tested.

Check your eligibility for the AGDRP here.

Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA)

The DRA is open to employees and sole traders for up to 13 weeks from today. The claimant must be able to demonstrate loss of income as a direct result of storms or floods since 27 June in a listed LGA.

Check your eligibility for the DRA here.

You can read the Prime Minister’s press release here.

You can read about other kinds of assistance available in NSW since February 2022 here.

If you have any questions or anything you wish to see in these updates, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email.

I would like to thank you for your support of the launch of the ADIA Jobs Board. In the five weeks since the site went live, 39 employers have posted 68 jobs.

Following a candidate acquisition campaign including search engine optimisation, organic and paid social media advertising, and a roll-out within the ADIA member and association networks, the ADIA Jobs Board is now attracting quality candidates from both within and beyond the oral health sector.

Free ADIA Jobs Board access extended

In order to maintain momentum and continue to build organic traffic to the site, free unlimited job ads will continue to be available to members until Friday 30 September.

If you have not yet used the ADIA Jobs Board to search for new talent:

- Go to jobs.adia.org.au and click Post a Job

- Create an account for your company and set up a company profile

- Follow the prompts to post a job

Reminder: Have your say at the next TGA meeting

Thank you to those who attended the Tech Forum online earlier this month.

For those who missed it, you can find the summary here.

ADIA has been invited to present at the next RegTech meeting in September. This is your opportunity to provide us with feedback and to highlight any concerns you wish to have raised with the TGA.

If you would like to provide feedback or have any questions, please make contact by email here. In order to prepare for the presentation, all feedback must be received by Friday 15 July.

As the financial year draws to a close, it’s time to prepare for a raft of changes coming into effect from 1 July.

On a national level, there are changes to superannuation, wages, and a range of company fees employers and business owners need to be aware of.

Super guarantee

From 1 July, the super guarantee increases from 10% to 10.5%. To prepare for this, payroll systems need to be updated to incorporate the increase prior to the beginning of the financial year to avoid any underpayment errors.

The super rate will continue to increase incrementally to 12% in 2025. The next increase to 11% is scheduled for 1 July 2023. Read more.

Super eligibility

From the start of 2022-2023, employers will need to pay the super guarantee to all employees, regardless of their earnings. The $450 minimum per month threshold for super guarantee payments is being removed for employees from 1 July.

This does not change the eligibility requirements for staff under 18 years of age. These employees will still need to work 30 hours in one week in order to be eligible for super guarantee payments. Read more.

Minimum and award wage increases

As reported last week, the national minimum wage is set to increase by 5.2% from 1 July. This equates to $40 per week at $21.38 per hour for a full-time employee.

Following the annual wage review, the Fair Work Commission also announced increases to award wages. Those on a minimum award, but earning more than $896.60 per week will receive a 4.6% increase from 1 July. Please note there are some exceptions where the increase will go through in October 2022. These include awards in hospitality, aviation, and tourism. Read more.

Business and company fee increases

In line with the consumer price index, ASIC has announced increases to various fees for registered companies and businesses from 1 July. These include registrations and renewals for business and company names, deregistration of a company name, late fees, and annual review fees. Read more.

Did you know?

July is the peak month for employee turnover each year. Learn how to spot the signs and increase retention with ADIA partner, Business Australia. Supply your ABN and follow the prompts in the article to join Business Australia (free for ADIA members).

In the weeks since the Federal Election, inflation pressure, cost of living, and wages have all stayed at the top of the news cycle. This week, the new Labor Government increased the minimum wage just ahead of the current rate of inflation.

It is with this focus on the cost of living and doing business in a post-COVID-19 economy, that I am pleased to release the latest Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report.

2020-2021 Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report Released

Compiled by IBISWorld, the 2020-21 Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report breaks down metrics for both products and services in the dental industry. It covers the impacts of inflationary pressure, COVID-19 restrictions, and other key performance drivers over the last 12 months.

The 2020-21 edition shows strong rebound growth in the industry since the decline in the first stages of COVID-19, outlined in last year's figures. The attached report shows 7.7% growth in combined products and services supply, along with 1% annualised industry growth to $3.5 billion. Click the button below to read the full report.

Have your say at the next TGA meeting

Thank you to those who attended the Tech Forum online last Thursday.

For those who missed it, you can find the summary here.

ADIA has been invited to present at the next RegTech meeting in September. This is your opportunity to provide us with any feedback and to highlight any concerns you wish to have raised with the TGA.

If you would like to provide feedback or have any questions, please make contact by email here. In order to prepare for the presentation, all feedback must be received by Friday 15 July.