22 March | Consideration of further travel restrictions & Impacts Survey

QRC is seeking urgent advice from members regarding a potential new national protocol regarding Fly in Fly out to stop the spread of COVID19. There is the possibility that a new national protocol may be introduced adopting the Western Australian protocol announced on 22 March 2020.

Western Australia Protocol:

FIFO transit protocols – Resource sector operations will be allowed to continue to operations & production with FIFO personnel from other Australian States and territories (based on strict guidelines and protocols). Details below:

• These FIFO personnel will only be allowed to enter and depart on dedicated charter aircraft that leaves from Australian Capital Cities and arrives at specific mine sites, oil and gas facilities and regional operations.
• All FIFO personnel from interstate must go through stringent check in procedures before boarding aircraft.  This includes questionnaires, statutory declarations and temperature checks.
• The charter flights will not allow members of public.  They will be exclusively for interstate FIFO workers.
• The charter flights will have social distancing on all planes.
• Industry representatives will work with resources companies to undertake a ‘needs analysis’ and, if necessary, to adjust shift rosters to ensure minimum number of FIFO charter flights into the state.

Given the differences in the use of charter flights to resource sites in Queensland compared to Western Australia, QRC seeks your urgent response to the following:

• What is your position on using charter only flights to operations? This new protocol would apply to both intra-state and inter-state flights.
• What impact will the use of charter only flights be to your operations?
• The Western Australian resource industry is moving to a 4 week roster. Are you able to adopt a 4 week roster in your Qld operation?

Please respond by completing the Survey Monkey, found here.

Please click here to see the full WA protocol