25 October 2022
To stay up to date on relevant COVID-19 news as well as access to translated services provided by the Department of Health, please click on the following links to access PDF downloads.
7 January 2022
In line with current advice from the Queensland Government and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Multicultural Australia Offices will be closed from Monday 10 January 2022.
As an essential service, Multicultural Australia continues to provide services to our clients and communities with the majority of our staff working from home using phone, video and other technologies. Some face-to-face interactions will continue to ensure that we meet the needs of our vulnerable clients, but will be limited to protect the safety of our clients and staff.
You can reach us for support by contacting us on the following phone numbers during business hours:
- Brisbane – 07 33375400
- Toowoomba – 07 4632 1466
- Rockhampton and Townsville – 07 4921 2222
Please keep an eye out on social media and our website for updates on when our office reopens for face-to-face visits.
Stay safe and stay connected with Multicultural Australia. We look forward seeing you back in our offices soon.
2 August 2021
The Queensland Government has announced this morning that the current South-East Queensland lockdowns will be extended until 4.00pm on Sunday 8 August.
Leaving home while in an identified lockdown area is only permitted to obtain essential goods, for healthcare and for essential work and education. Funerals and weddings have been restricted to 10 people.
See regular updates on the Queensland Health website in multiple languages here: https://bit.ly/3y2HHio
Additional resources on the current restrictions and access to support services in multiple languages can be found on the Refugee Health Network website here: https://www.refugeehealthnetworkqld.org.au/covid-19-news/
Queensland’s COVID Safe Future Roadmap, updated to 20 August 2021, can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/3xeyD8Y
Stay safe and keep well.
1 August 2021
Multicultural Australia staff continue to provide support services to our clients, while adhering to Queensland Health restrictions, during the South-East Queensland snap lockdowns announced yesterday by Queensland Health.
You can reach us for support by contacting us on the following phone numbers during business hours:
- Brisbane – 07 3337 5400
- Toowoomba – 07 4632 1466
- Rockhampton – 07 4921 2222
- Townsville – 07 4921 2222
Or outside business hours by emailing us at welcome@multiculturalaustralia.org.au or at bit.ly/3x2RR24.
Please observe COVID safety lockdown restrictions for identified Local Government Areas, especially for our Brisbane office.
Stay safe and keep well.
1 August 2021
Yesterday evening, our Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young provided an in-depth health briefing to over 117 community leaders and stakeholders across South East Queensland with the latest information on the COVID-19 snap lockdowns.
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The CHO expressed great gratitude to all our CALD communities across Queensland for being such an important part of keeping Queensland safe and healthy throughout the pandemic responses.
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Multicultural Australia would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Young for such a timely and informative response, ensuring that culturally diverse communities have direct access to the latest updates and are well informed about the latest South-East Queensland lockdowns.
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We appreciate the continuing collaboration between valued partners including the Refugee Health Network Queensland, Queensland Health, Queensland African Communities Council, Metro South Health, Brisbane South PHN, Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma, Access Community Services Ltd, Australian Red Cross, World Wellness Group, Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs and Multicultural Australia for bringing together these timely briefings to ensure that important health messages continue to reach our CALD communities.
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Please continue to keep yourself updated on the latest Queensland Health advice here: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19
31 July 2021
The Queensland Government has announced 11 LGAs across South-East Queensland will be entering a three-day snap lockdown from 4.00pm today, Saturday 31 July 2021.
- Brisbane City
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- Gold Coast
- Ipswich
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Logan City
- Noosa Shire Council
- Redland City
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Leaving home in these areas during lockdown is only permitted to obtain essential goods, for healthcare and for essential work and education. Funerals and weddings will be restricted to 10 people from 4.00pm today. The restrictions also apply to anyone who has been in the affected regions from 1.00am Saturday 31 July.
See regular updates on the Queensland Health website in multiple languages here: https://bit.ly/3y2HHio
Additional resources on the current restrictions and access to support services in multiple languages can be found on the Refugee Health Network website here: https://www.refugeehealthnetworkqld.org.au/covid-19-news/
Queensland’s COVID Safe Future Roadmap, updated to 20 August 2021, can be viewed through the link below.
https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/…/DPC7309-COVID-19…
Stay safe and keep well.
23 July 2021 Update
Queensland Health has declared all of New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria as hotspots, with the New South Wales Border Zone now reinstated.
Face masks will continue to be mandatory in 11 council regions across South East Queensland until 6.00am on Friday 30 July, and anyone who has been in a South East Queensland impacted area in the last 14 days must continue to wear a face mask.
Facemasks continue to be mandatory in:
- City of Brisbane
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- City of Gold Coast
- City of Ipswich
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Logan City
- Noosa Shire Council
- Redland City
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council
All other gathering and vulnerable facility restrictions for South East Queensland have been removed to be the same as for the rest of Queensland.
See regular updates on the Queensland Health website in multiple languages here: https://bit.ly/3y2HHio
Additional resources on the current restrictions and access to support services in multiple languages can be found on the Refugee Health Network website here: https://bit.ly/36X0BeG
Queensland’s COVID Safe Future Roadmap, updated to 20 August 2021, can be viewed through the link below.
Stay safe and keep well.
9 July 2021 Update
Queensland Health has reaffirmed that mandatory face masks and other restrictions remain in place across South East Queensland, Townsville, Magnetic Island & Palm Island.
Queensland has current contact tracing alerts and related public health advice for people who have been in Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.
Anyone who has been in inner Sydney and other parts of New South Wales in the last 14 days must quarantine for 14 days immediately after returning to Queensland.
See regular updates on the Queensland Health website in multiple languages here: https://bit.ly/3AnH0BM
Additional resources on the current lockdown and access to support services in multiple languages can be found on the Refugee Health Network website here: https://bit.ly/3xdQnlQ
Stay safe and keep well.
Queensland Government COVID Roadmap: https://bit.ly/2SZGY2r
15 April 2021 Update
Restrictions across Queensland have eased as of 6.00am this morning.
The eased restrictions mean that from 6.00am today:
Face masks
- Face mask wearing is only mandatory in certain settings.
- You must wear your mask when at an airport or on a domestic or international flight departing or arriving in Queensland.
- While not mandatory, you are strongly encouraged to:
- carry a mask with you at all times when you leave home
- wear a mask when travelling on public transport, in a taxi or rideshare or in shopping centres
- wear a mask in any indoor or outdoor space when physical distancing is not possible.
Gatherings
- Gatherings at private residences (homes and accommodation) are limited to 100 people in total.
- There is no limit to the number of people that can gather in outdoor public spaces.
Protecting our most vulnerable
- You can visit aged care facilities, disability accommodation services, hospitals and correctional facilities if you meet the visitor requirements.
Businesses, activities and undertakings
- Businesses can operate with one person per 2 square metres (e.g. restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, museums, art galleries, places of worship, convention centres and Parliament House)
- Retail food services, entertainment venues and high risk businesses can open for standing when eating and drinking, both inside and outside.
- Dancing is allowed, with one dancer per 2 square metres and physical distancing observed both indoors and outdoors.
- 100 per cent capacity at ticketed and allocated seated venues with patrons encouraged to wear masks on entry and exit (e.g. theatre, live music, cinemas, indoor sports, universities and other higher education institutions).
You can continue to find latest information on the Queensland Health website.
1 April 2021 Update
As announced by the Queensland Premier today, the Greater Brisbane lockdown has been lifted from noon, Thursday 1 April.
Restrictions remain in place across Queensland until 15 April including the following:
- All Queenslanders should carry a mask with them at all times until Thursday 15 April
- All Queenslanders will be required to wear those masks in indoor spaces such as shopping centres, supermarkets, indoor workplaces and public transport.
- Cafes, pubs and restaurants will open only for seated service.
- Gatherings at homes are restricted to 30 people.
- Aged care facilities, disability care facilities, hospitals and prisons will only allow visitors for end-of-life visits.
For the latest Queensland Government updates regarding COVID-19 restrictions and public health advice please visit the Queensland Government website.
Multicultural communities can access in-language information and health alerts here.
Below is a useful roadmap graphic the reflects the ongoing restrictions.
29 March 2021 Update
As announced by the Queensland Premier, Greater Brisbane will go into lockdown from 5pm today for three days until 5pm on Thursday 1 April 2021. This is to give contact tracers time to ensure that further cases of COVID-19, including the highly infectious UK strain, are not circulating in the community.
The Greater Brisbane lockdown area includes Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Redland, and Moreton Bay local government areas.
As an essential service, Multicultural Australia will continue to provide services to our clients and communities during this lockdown period. Please contact us through our usual contact methods, during business hours on 3337 5400, or via email at welcome@multiculturalaustralia.org.au. Our after hours/emergency phone line remains available to clients.
Over the next three days, from 5pm tonight, residents in Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich and Redlands council areas can only leave home for one of these reasons:
- to buy essentials like groceries or medication
- work or study – if you can’t do either from home
- exercise in your local area
- healthcare or to provide help, care or support
Other important points of the Premier’s announcement included:
Masks must be worn at all times when outside of your home, including workplaces and public transport – except when eating, drinking or vigorous exercise or unless you have a medical exemption.
- Exercise with no more than one person not from your household.
- Cafes, pubs and restaurants will open only for take-away service.
- Supermarkets will remain open throughout lockdown. There is no need to ‘panic buy.’
- Schools will remain open for children of essential workers only.
- Aged care, correctional centres, hospitals and disability service providers will close to visitors across the state.
- The restrictions will be reviewed on Wednesday evening.
- For the rest of Queensland, masks should be worn while indoors where social distancing is not possible (excluding your home) and gatherings are restricted to 30 people.
Multicultural communities can access in-language information and health alerts at https://bit.ly/38rA0b7
For the latest Queensland Government updates regarding the Greater Brisbane lockdown please visit: https://bit.ly/31oSWDk
21 January 2021 Update
Easing of Greater Brisbane Restrictions
From 1am AEST 22 January 2021, if there is no community transmission, the Greater Brisbane region will be subject to the same restrictions as the rest of the state.
Face masks
You are strongly encouraged to continue to carry a face mask with you at all times, to provide added protection if you are in a situation where you cannot maintain social distancing. When attending a big event, in a shopping centre or travelling on public transport, we strongly encourage you to wear a mask – especially when entering, exiting or moving through areas where lots of people are gathered.
Face masks remain mandatory at all times in the following situations:
- at Queensland airports (indoor and outdoor areas)
- during a domestic commercial flight
- if you are arriving to Queensland from overseas or from a COVID-19 hotspot, you must wear a face mask while travelling from the airport until you reach your allocated room in your quarantine accommodation
- if you are a driver of a bus, coach service, taxi or rideshare transporting a person required to quarantine.
Face masks alone will not protect you from COVID-19. Social distancing is the gold standard of COVID-19 prevention methods, as well as washing your hands regularly.
Movement and gathering
You can have 100 people gather in public outdoor spaces, and 50 people can gather at a private property – this number includes those who live with you.
Businesses, activities and undertakings
All restricted businesses can open, in line with the COVID Safe Framework.
All restricted businesses may now have one person per 2 square metres on their premises, other than a hospitality business that does not comply with the requirement to collect contact details electronically. Venues can operate with up to 100 per cent seated capacity if patrons are in ticketed, allocated seating.
Dance floors are also allowed indoors and outdoors, and you can stand up and have a drink at bar.
For more information on the new eased restrictions go to the Queensland Government website.
Download the Queensland Government’s Updated COVID-19 Roadmap.
11 January 2021 Update
Easing of Greater Brisbane Lockdown
The Greater Brisbane Lockdown will end at 6pm today, Monday 11 January 2021. New eased restrictions for Greater Brisbane will be in place from 6pm 11 January to 1am 22 January 2021.
People are permitted to be outside their homes for any purpose, subject to the restrictions below:
Face masks
You must carry a face mask with you at all times when you leave home, unless you have a lawful reason not to. You must wear a mask in indoor spaces, except in your home. For example:
- shopping centres,
- supermarkets, retail outlets and indoor markets
- hospitals and aged care facilities
- churches and places of worship
- libraries
- indoor recreational facilities and gyms
- indoor workplaces (where you can’t socially distance)
- public transport, taxis and rideshare
- airports and travelling on planes.
It is recommended you wear a mask when outdoors if you are unable to stay more than 1.5m distance from other people, such as busy walkways and thoroughfares.
Children under 12 years are and people affected by a medical condition or disability are exempt.
For more information on the new eased restrictions go to https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/easing-greater-brisbane-restrictions
10 January 2021 Update
Translated resources
Queensland Health has developed resources about COVID-19 and the current Greater Brisbane Lockdown in other languages. These resources can be accessed via the link below:
8 January 2021 Update
As announced by the Queensland Premier at 8am on 8 January, Greater Brisbane will go into lockdown from 6pm today for three days until 6pm on Monday 11 January 2021. This is to give contact tracers time to ensure the UK strain of COVID-19 is not circulating in the community.
The Greater Brisbane lockdown area includes Brisbane City, Ipswich City, Logan City, Redland City and Moreton Bay Regional areas.
As an essential service, Multicultural Australia will continue to provide services to our clients and communities during this lockdown period. Please continue to contact us through our usual contact numbers, during business hours on 3337 5400, our email welcome@multiculturalaustralia.org.au or our emergency phone line which is available to clients.
You are only allowed to leave your home for one of the following reasons:
- Shopping for essentials, food and necessary supplies
- Medical or healthcare needs, including compassionate requirements
- Exercise with no more than one other person, unless all from the same household
Providing care or assistance to an immediate family member - Work, or volunteering, or study if it is not reasonably practicable to work or learn remotely
- Child custody arrangements
- Legal obligations
- Visit for end of life
- Attend funeral or wedding in line with restrictions
Other important points of the Premier’s announcement included:
- Masks must be worn everywhere in those local government areas except if people are at home
- Places of worship will be closed
- Cafes, pubs and restaurants will be open only for take-away service
- Funerals will be restricted to 20 guests and weddings restricted to 10 guests
For the latest Queensland Government updates regarding the Greater Brisbane lockdown please visit: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/greater-brisbane-lockdown
