Pubs Reopening: They’re Finally Set To Re-Open… At Most Inconvenient Time Of Year

Just in time for Dry July...

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Pubs Reopening: They’re Finally Set To Re-Open… At Most Inconvenient Time Of Year

As restaurants, cafes and shops get the green light to reopen and experts chirp optimistically about regional travel, one could be forgiven for thinking Australia is getting back to normal.

But the first step of Australia’s National Cabinet’s plan to ease restrictions, unfortunately (perhaps, from a medical point of view, fortunately) didn’t include one thing: the re-opening of pubs and bars.

For those gasping for an icy cold pint, with mates, you will likely have to wait until the most inconvenient (for those prone to random health kicks) month of the year to step into your local pub: July.

That’s if everything goes well, too (and if you live in NSW, ACT, Victoria or Tasmania).

While The Federal Government says it will be up to the states and territories to decide when the changes come into effect, they will only occur if Australia’s confirmed caseload continues to drop.

For now, as part of stage one, Australians will be allowed to have up to five guests in their home and be in groups of 10 outdoors.

“Today, National Cabinet agreed a three-step plan and a national framework to achieve a COVID-safe economy and society,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

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“It is our goal to move through all of these steps to achieve that COVID-safe economy in July of this year.”

Mr Morrison said the liberation would be gradual and we should brace ourselves for more outbreaks along the way.

“In this plan, we walk before we run.”

Libraries, community centres and playgrounds are also included in step one, but must follow certain hygiene rules.

Step two will see groups of 20 allowed in places like gyms, beauty therapists, cinemas and galleries.

Some jurisdictions, however, may allow larger numbers.

Some interstate travel will also be permitted, the government said, again, to be guided by each state and territory.

Step three (the final one), “will see people return to workplaces and gatherings of up to 100 people allowed and pubs to reopen,” the ABC reports.

“National Cabinet will review the progress of each step every three weeks, to see what impact the changes have on coronavirus infection numbers,” (ABC).

“They’re not formal reviews,” Mr Morrison said. I’d describe it more as stock takes … and how we’re going towards our ultimate aspiration of being there in July.”

What happens if there is another outbreak? It depends how major it is, but, for now, the Government says it would turn to an expert health panel about whether to halt any further easing of restrictions.

As reported by the ABC, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said there was more certainty around the definition of step one (“baby steps” into unprecedented territory), its success (of lack thereof) would influence what happened in steps two and three.

“Step two, a bit more work to be done and step three, still a lot of discussion to be had before we can define it properly.”

This comes after certain states and territories (notably, the Northern Territory and Western Australia) have already announced plans to lift a number of their policies, which would see their pubs and clubs reopen in the coming weeks.

For those of us in NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania, however, it looks as though this year’s (social) beer drought is set to continue.

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