Vaccine mandate rule in South Australia digs

Article posted by Coliseum, December 7^th, 2021

Image: SACA

The South Australian venues – the 2,000-capacity Adelaide Festival Centre, the 53,500-capacity Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Zoo, the 750-capacity Adelaide Convention Centre, the 12,000-capacity Adelaide Entertainment Centre, and the 17,000-capacity Hindmarsh Stadium – will make it mandatory for audiences, fans and visitors, along with the staff, to be fully vaccinated from the end of December.

The ‘Australasian Leisure Management’ stated that the venues will impose mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements as of December 29^th and all staff and patrons over the age of 16 will have to produce proof of full vaccination, or an official medical exemption, to enter.

With the South Australian Premier Steven Marshall having previously ruled out mandatory vaccinations for attractions and venues, the above move, Adelaide Festival Centre Chief Executive, Douglas Gautier, said was critical, “We know how important vaccinations are for the safety of our audiences, artistes and staff and we make this decision with health, safety and wellness in mind. As a major performing arts venue, we understand how significant this decision is in helping the performing arts industry and home companies get back on track and to maintaining business continuity.”

Added Gautier, “It will also ensure we can continue to do what we do best – staging the very best live performances from around the world.”

The Adelaide Festival Centre – whose venues include the Festival Theatre, Dunstan Playhouse, Space Theatre, Artspace, and Her Majesty’s Theatre – said a study conducted last month showed 98 percent of South Australian arts audiences were either partially or fully vaccinated, or intending to be vaccinated.

The above decision has been welcomed by South Australia’s major arts companies, including the Adelaide Festival, which has been pushing for vaccine mandate from the State Government.

With the Adelaide Festival unable to bring in a mandate itself as it is a statutory authority, the interim Executive Director, Kathie Massey, stated, “The Adelaide Festival applauds the decision by the Adelaide Festival Centre to become a venue that is open to fully vaccinated patrons, artistes and staff (or those with a medical exemption). The Adelaide Festival Centre is leading by example, ensuring that all those who hire the venue can deliver the arts to South Australians, as well as interState and international visitors as safely as possible.”

The mandate will apply to upcoming festival events, including the 2022 Adelaide Festival.

Despite pleas from the attractions and venues sector, recently Premier Marshall indicated mandatory vaccinations would only be brought in for the most vulnerable areas, such as aged care and health.

The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is considered one of the world’s major celebrations of the arts, and a pre-eminent cultural event in Australia.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at www.coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.