It is mandatory in the ACT to wear a fitted face mask in public indoor settings, including on all Transport Canberra services from Monday June 28th; the details are at the following link. Fines will apply; I am presuming that Transport Canberra bus drivers will be driving past passengers at bus stops who are not wearing a fitted face mask, as no travel will be permitted if you are not wearing one.
https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/news-articles/face-masks-to-become-mandatory-in-the-act
Quote from: Toyota Camry on June 27, 2021, 05:48:36 PMIt is mandatory in the ACT to wear a fitted face mask in public indoor settings, including on all Transport Canberra services from Monday June 28th; the details are at the following link. Fines will apply; I am presuming that Transport Canberra bus drivers will be driving past passengers at bus stops who are not wearing a fitted face mask, as no travel will be permitted if you are not wearing one.
https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/news-articles/face-masks-to-become-mandatory-in-the-act
Yes and I agree with the validity of this rule. It will be interesting to see how many non mask wearing passengers will abuse the bus drivers if they don't let them on. A certain demographic of society will be abusive about this.
I just found out - that although masks are required to be worn on the 28th onwards, there is a 2 Day grace period for people to have them AND bus drivers are not required to force passengers off the bus if they aren't wearing a mask. So theoretically, you may still see some people on a bus that are not wearing a mask.
If ACT are to copy NSW (not sure about other states), you'd expect to see staff handing out face masks to passengers at the interchanges. Nor everyone would be aware of the rule til tomorrow morning.
That's besides there are legal reasons for not wearing face masks. Including medical & domestic/family violence. It's also against the law to ask someone their exemption. The only exemption would be for authorised Police Officers.
There were officers from ACT Policing enforcing the mask mandate at Gungahlin Place tonight at approximately 6:30pm; two passengers were removed from a Renault PR100.2 and fined for not wearing a fitted face mask onboard the vehicle.
There needs to be a simple policy enforced by Transport Canberra drivers of "no mask, no ride"; if a passenger waiting at a bus stop is not wearing a fitted face mask, the bus should simply skip that stop. If the passenger is a child, or multiple passengers are waiting at the stop, the bus should stop and the driver will hold up a sign a sign stating that the bus doors will not open until all passengers are wearing a fitted face mask; if there is one passenger who has not chosen to wear a fitted face mask causing others to miss the bus, mob justice will ensure that they do not do so again.
Unless you can provide the ACT Legislative Assembly link. Go to Part 3 of the current NSW Public Health Order https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/file/Public%20Health%20%28COVID-19%20Temporary%20Movement%20and%20Gathering%20Restrictions%29%20Order%202021_210622.pdf (https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/file/Public%20Health%20(COVID-19%20Temporary%20Movement%20and%20Gathering%20Restrictions)%20Order%202021_210622.pdf)
As I've stated previously, only the Police can ask to see your exemption.
Unless you can explain to me why someone suffering/escaping a DV situation. Should wait another 2 hours for a bus on the weekend, all because some entitled person has bashed their jaw. Only for another entitled person to refuse to help them.
I'll note that I fully support the wearing of face coverings. But in DV/FV/MH situations, there are valid exemptions.
Quote from: Toyota Camry on June 30, 2021, 10:15:09 PMThere needs to be a simple policy enforced by Transport Canberra drivers of "no mask, no ride"; if a passenger waiting at a bus stop is not wearing a fitted face mask, the bus should simply skip that stop. If the passenger is a child, or multiple passengers are waiting at the stop, the bus should stop and the driver will hold up a sign a sign stating that the bus doors will not open until all passengers are wearing a fitted face mask; if there is one passenger who has not chosen to wear a fitted face mask causing others to miss the bus, mob justice will ensure that they do not do so again.
Before you go off the deep end, a careful reading of the fine print is necessary. It seems you expected, for example, an autistic person (exempt from mask wearing) to be subject to 'mob justice', which given the nature of autism could well then escalate into something far more serious. Most things are not entirely black or white.
Quote from: Bus 400 on June 27, 2021, 08:29:52 PMThat's besides there are legal reasons for not wearing face masks. Including medical & domestic/family violence.
The information on the ACT website lists the exemptions to wearing a mask as "people with some disabilities, physical or mental health conditions", which does (or can) include autism or persons who have experienced trauma.
Only an
Authorised person can require a person to provide details as to why they are exempt from wearing a mask. A bus driver is not authorised under the Public Health Act, although they may encourage passengers to wear a mask but cannot enforce it.
The official Emergency Direction can be found here: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/View/ni/2021-402/current/PDF/2021-402.PDF
The mask requirement will be rescinded at 11:59pm this Friday (9 July). After then, masks will only be mandatory within Canberra Airport.
ACT Health still encourages the use of masks on public transport and in crowded indoor spaces, but it will no longer be compulsory.
With the announcement of the ACT copying Sydney (because we make lockdown look cool now). If leaving your home for one of the essential reasons, face masks are back to being mandatory on public transport.
Hopefully those who can't work from home, drive to work.
Stay safe & be like the majority of Sydneysiders who mask up & avoid eating takeaway on buses 🤪.
I saw Sylvan today looking flash in his red suit - even down to the matching red stripes on his scooter helmet.
Don't know if he has a matching red mask though....
Yeah nah, my mask is dark teal.
Quote from: Toyota Camry on June 30, 2021, 10:15:09 PMThere needs to be a simple policy enforced by Transport Canberra drivers of "no mask, no ride"; if a passenger waiting at a bus stop is not wearing a fitted face mask, the bus should simply skip that stop. If the passenger is a child, or multiple passengers are waiting at the stop, the bus should stop and the driver will hold up a sign a sign stating that the bus doors will not open until all passengers are wearing a fitted face mask; if there is one passenger who has not chosen to wear a fitted face mask causing others to miss the bus, mob justice will ensure that they do not do so again.
Now is the time more than ever for this to apply; there is absolutely no reason why that any person in Canberra should be seen not wearing a fitted face mask at any time. It is likely that the requirement for wearing face masks at all times in the ACT will continue for the foreseeable future following the end of the lockdown, and likely into the new year; many of us will agree that is about time.
Quote from: Toyota Camry on August 13, 2021, 10:39:53 PMthere is absolutely no reason why that any person in Canberra should be seen not wearing a fitted face mask at any time.
Well actually, there is. We've been over this before. As with last time there are
legal exemptions to wearing a face mask. Additionally, bus drivers are not
legally authorised to enforce mask wearing or to demand a person to provide details of their exemption.
For those who wish to read it for themselves, the latest Emergency Direction can be found here: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2021-480/