Update for Community

Update 06/08/2021

Seven Day Lockdown To Keep Victorians Safe

Check out exposure sites: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites

Update 16/07/2021

 "You can only leave home to get the food and the supplies you need, for exercise for up to two hours and no more than 5kms from your home, for care or caregiving, work or education if you can't do it from home or to get vaccinated at the nearest possible location." - STATEMENT FROM THE PREMIER

Arm yourself against COVID-19

E Ads: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=354710252838243

Vaccine Eligibility Checker

E: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility?lang=en

V: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility?lang=vi

Update 16/06/2021

• People can travel freely throughout the state
• Public gatherings will be allowed with up to 20 people
• Gatherings in the home will be permitted with up to two visitors to the home per day, plus dependents
• Gyms, indoor entertainment venues and electronic gaming will be allowed to reopen
• Hospitality venues will be able to host up to 25 people before applying the density quotient
• If you can work from home, you should work from home
• Workplaces can return to 50 per cent of capacity, or up to 20 people, whichever is greater
• Outdoor community sport for juniors and adults can resume
• Masks will no longer be required outdoors, but recommended a 1.5 metre distance cannot be kept
• Everyone must continue to wear masks indoors

Update 09/06/2021

Information for us in Metropolitan Melbourne, from 11:59pm tonight until further notice - Main points for AVWA and its employees/volunteers/clients/services/activities:

- People can leave home for any reason (limit and conditions apply – please refer to the Table of Restriction)

- Masks must be worn indoors except if at home, must be worn outdoors where 1.5 metres physical distancing cannot be maintained

- Private gatherings in the home: Not permitted, intimate partner visits / single bubble permitted

- Public gatherings: Permitted for up to 10 people

- Work: If you can work from home, you should continue to work from home. Office work – 25 per cent return or up to 10 people if total workplace is 40 or less

- Higher education and training: If you can study from home, you should continue to study from home

- Community facilities: Density quotient of 1 person per 4sqm applies; maximum venue capacity 50 people and maximum group size: 10 people

Update 08/06/2021

• The Chief Health Officer Update for today view
• DFFH Relief and Community Support Factsheet view
• Translated posters on how to use QR codes (https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/signs-posters-and-templates#how-do-i-check-in")
• Information about vaccination centres is available https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-centres. Wait times are updated regularly, and one can book an appointment at the vaccination centres by calling 1800 675 398.
• More information on support payments at the pages below: 
  • https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/450-coronavirus-covid-19-test-isolation-payment. Test Isolation Payment
  • https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/pandemic-leave-disaster-payment-victoria Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment
  • Family Recovery Program (for culturally and linguistically diverse individuals and families in Victoria who have been significantly impacted by COVID-19). More information https://www.cohealth.org.au/family-recovery-program/". Please mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  
  • Extreme Hardship Support Program 
  • Referral for food relief and essentials: Please call 1800 675 398 or mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (for people to be linked in to relief without leaving their homes).

Current restrictions remain in place for the next seven days (02/06/2021)

"On the advice of the Chief Health Officer Professor Sutton the current restrictions remain in place for Melbourne for a further seven days with some small changes," Mr Merlino said.

From 11.59pm tomorrow night there will still be only five reasons to leave home:

• Shopping for food and supplies,
• authorised work and study,
• care and care giving,
• exercise,
• getting vaccinated.

People will be able to travel a little bit further for exercise and shopping with an expanded 10km radius.

Students in years 11 and 12 will return to face-to-face learning, and that includes students in other year levels that are undertaking a Unit 3/4VCE subject.

A number of outdoor jobs will be added to the authorised lift. Things like landscaping, painting, installing solar panels or letterboxing.

Other restrictions including mask-wearing remain in place.

Instructions:

Office staff must continue towork from home if you can work from home.

Office Managers and Office Admins are to extend the current cleaning/rubbish-collection schedule and UPDATE signage to be displayed on our doors, and answering machine on. We will close our doors to the public and will reopen on Friday 11/06/2021

Media and Technical please have similar notice on our Web and FB pages.

All classes and groups are to be cancelled or run online.

Project/program staff and care workers are to use your permitted worker permit if you must travel to work. HCP to inform our contractors and cancel non-essential services.

All to try our best to LIMIT our contacts.

Exposure Site Checker

Changes to COVID Restrictions 26/05/2021

As you may already be aware, additional COVID restrictions will be put in place across Greater Melbourne to help keep Victorians safe as of 6 pm tonight, 25 May 2021.

As we’ve experienced, the only way to beat this virus is to work together – which means we need to stay alert and follow public health advice.

What you must remember:

• You can only have up to five visitors per day in your home, and public gatherings will be limited to 30 people.
• You must wear a facemask indoors and in public spaces. The face mask requirement applies to everyone aged 12 years and older and includes indoor workplaces and secondary schools.
• Check the exposure sites listed here by the Department of Health regularly, and get tested if you visited any of these sites during the times listed.
• Make sure you sign in to any venue you visit using the QR code.
• Get tested if you have symptoms.
• Get vaccinated if you are eligible.

Schools and workplaces will remain open with the current restrictions that are in place.

The Department of Health has listed a number of public exposure sites, which include Highpoint Shopping Centre. If you have visited one of these sites during the times listed, you must get tested and you may also need to immediately isolate for 14 days.

If you need help with information about coronavirus:

• Call the coronavirus hotline 1800 675 398 (24 Hours).
• Talk to the cohealth health concierge at the foyer of each tower.
• If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
• Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.

More information on the new COVIDSafe measures and exposure sites will be available at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/

Vaccine Info

https://www.avwa.org.au/en/coronavirus-covid-19

Thuốc chủng ngừa COVID-19 (COVID-19 vaccine) - tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/covid-19-vaccine-vietnamese

Vaccination centre wait times 26/05/2021

Masks are to be worn at our offices and venues 

Minister Tudge’s Citizenship Day speech

The 17^th of September was Australian Citizenship Day. To mark this significant day, acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Alan Tudge, announced several policy initiatives that recognise the central role citizenship plays in Australia’s social cohesion. His media release is here. Initiatives include updating the Australian citizenship test from 15 November and updating the Australian Values Statement.

To support Citizenship applicants, the Department has published updated information about preparing for the test, and an updated version of the Our Common Bond book on our website. An overview of Our Common Bond is also available as a podcast.

We welcome your feedback on these announcements.

New Social Cohesion page on Home Affairs website

Yesterday the Home Affairs website was updated with a new Social Cohesion page. It includes links to information about Australian values, the Citizenship test, multicultural affairs, community engagement and more.

Mental health information in 63 languages

Mental health service Beyond Blue has published a fact sheet about the Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service in 63 languages here.

Beyond Blue also publishes general mental health information on topics such as new parents, families, stress and medications in a range of languages here.

Mental Health Support during COVID-19

English: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – New mental health clinics to support Victorians during the COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnamese: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Các phòng khám sức khỏe tâm thần mới để giúp đỡ người dân Victoria trong thời gian đại dịch COVID-19 (New mental health clinics in Victoria)

COVID-19 – Additional mental health support

In August the federal government announced an additional 10 Medicare subsidised psychological therapy sessions for Australians affected by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. People who are subject to public health orders that restrict their movement within a state or territory are eligible to apply. Patients will be required to have a Mental Health Treatment Plan and a review with their GP to access the additional sessions. More information is available in English here.

Visas for innovation

The Department of Home Affairs recently launched a set of initiatives – including the Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce – to lure international business and exceptional talent to Australia.

 For more information visit our  and Minister Tudge’s .

Youth Action Project Grants Scheme

 The Minister for Youth recently announced the Youth Action Project Grants Scheme (YAPGS). The Minister’s media release is .

The YAPGS is offering grants of up to $20,000 to community-led projects that aim to improve the outcomes and wellbeing of young people, with a particular focus on employment, mental health, transport, and the impacts of COVID-19 and the Australian bushfires.

Projects need to be either new initiatives that recognise and respond to the hardship young people face now and will face in the future. Further information on the YAPGS including the application form can be obtained by

visiting the FYA website. Applications close on 7 October.

JobKeeper Payment extension

The JobKeeper Payment scheme has been extended until 28 March 2021. JobKeeper is to support businesses significantly affected by COVID-19. More information is available at the Australian Tax Office website. Information about the payment extension is currently being translated and in-language versions will be uploaded to the website shortly.

General information about JobKeeper Payments is available in Arabic, Assyrian, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Dari, Greek, Hazaragi, Italian, Khmer, Korean, Nepali, Persian (Farsi), Spanish, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese here.

Vic-NSW Border restrictions – translated information

Contact us for 30 second audio clips of the following message in Assyrian, Bangla, Hindi, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic, Cantonese, Greek or Italian:

As of Friday 4 September, a new border region has come into effect. This means that more people living on the NSW-Victoria border can go to work, school and access necessary services. New border region resident permits are available online. If you have an existing border zone permit, it’s still valid until its expiry date.

To access an immediate phone interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 for the cost of a local call.