Restrictions at Parliament will lift and the building reopened to the public following a Greens staff member who tested positive to COVID-19 had been working in the building while infected.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The risk to its workers and the public is deemed "extremely low", ACT Health has advised Parliament's presiding officers, Senate President Slade Brockman and Speaker Andrew Wallace.
"ACT Health has identified all close and casual contacts of a staffer who tested positive to COVID-19 on his return to Victoria, and advises the risk to other building occupants and members of the public is extremely low," they said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Frontline staff, including the security and catering staff, will continue to wear masks. Other building occupants are encouraged to wear a mask if they want to."
The positive case was not linked to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The building will reopen to the public on Wednesday after being off-limits for the last four months.
Members of the public and workers can now return but are asked to stay away if exhibiting symptoms and must comply with ACT Health orders.
MORE COVID-19 NEWS:
Greens leader Adam Bandt and colleague Senator Nick McKim were among the close contact MPs who were required to isolate pending a negative result. All have now tested negative.
"Other members of the team have been tested and returned negative results," said a statement from the Greens on the weekend.
Seated eating options will reopen as well, including the Queen's Terrace Cafe, and the Parliament Shop will again be accessible to the public.
Our coverage of the health and safety aspects of this outbreak of COVID-19 in the ACT is free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. You can also sign up for our newsletters for regular updates.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
Harley Dennett
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
