The Practice Note relating to Case Management of Criminal Proceedings in the Local Court has been amended, effective from 23 October 2020. View the Local Court Practice Note Crim 1 here.

NSW has reported four new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. NSW Health is alerting the public that a confirmed case of COVID-19, (that will be included in tomorrow’s numbers), has attended venues in Sydney’s south-west and east. Anyone who attended the following venues for at least an hour at these times is considered a close contact and must get tested immediately and isolate for a full 14 days from exposure regardless of the result:
 

• Flip Out Prestons Indoor Trampoline Park, Unit B/238 Hoxton Park Road, Prestons on Sunday 25 October 2020, between 12pm – 1.50pm
• Jasmins Lebanese Restaurant, 375 Macquarie Street, Liverpool, on Sunday 25 October 2020, between 2pm – 3.30pm

Anyone who attended the following venues is considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop. After testing, they must remain in isolation until a negative test result is received:
 

• Westfield Bondi Junction, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, Saturday 24 October 2020, between 1.30pm – 4.30pm
• Watsup Brothers kebab shop, 149 Eldridge Road, Condell Park, on Saturday 24 October 2020, between 5.30pm – 6pm
• Ali Baba Charcoal Chicken, 2 Civic Road, Auburn, on Monday 26 October 2020, between 1pm – 1.20pm
• Carnes Hill Marketplace, Kurrajong Road, Carnes Hill, on Tuesday 27 October 2020, between 3.30pm – 4.30pm

NSW Health is also urging people in south western Sydney to get tested right away if they notice COVID-19 symptoms, after virus fragments were detected at a sewage treatment plant at Glenfield. At least 30 suburbs are included in the area serviced by the treatment plant. More info here.

As NSW marks three million COVID-19 tests since January, health authorities say it is critical that people continue to come forward for testing and practise COVID-safe behaviours when out and about and catching up with family and friends, particularly with the easing of restrictions. More here.

The Commonwealth, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory have agreed in-principle to a new ‘Framework for National Reopening Australia by Christmas’, building on and enhancing the 3-Step Framework for a COVID Safe Australia developed in May 2020. WA has not agreed to the National Framework for Reopening, specifically the domestic border and international arrival proposals. View the Framework here.

The Commonwealth Government welcomes the decision by the Victorian Premier to ease restrictions from 11.59pm on Tuesday 27 October. More here.

Tasmania’s new traveller system ‘Tas e-Travel’ is now accepting registrations for travel from low-risk areas (ACT, NT, QLD, SA, WA, and NZ) under eased border restrictions. Subject to Public Health advice, NSW will be classified as a low-risk area from Friday 6 November 2020. People intending to travel from NSW from this date can submit their registration a maximum of three days before arrival in Tasmania. To register your travel and contact details visit Tas e-Travel.

The health and wellbeing of the profession has been a particular focus of the Law Society in 2020, more so given the ongoing situation with COVID. These issues and challenges are not unique to NSW. The International Bar Association (IBA) has embarked on a global project aimed at addressing the mental wellbeing of legal professionals around the world. The key initial phase of the project consists of two global surveys – one for individual lawyers, the other for law firms and other legal institutions, including bar associations, law societies and in-house legal departments. The surveys, which are anonymous,are available to both IBA members and non-members. Access the surveys here.