On March 22, 2020, Police Commissioner Grantly Stevens as State Coordinator for the State of South Australia, under the Emergency Management Act (2004), declared a Major Emergency because of “the outbreak of the Human Disease named COVID-19 within South Australia”, a declaration valid for 14 days.

The extension to this Declaration made on April 2, 2020, (and those there after), was declared valid for 28 days as approved by the Governor (see Section 23(2)(b)).

“When the Prime Minister (Scott Morrison) makes recommendations to the states about restriction guidelines relating to COVID-19, each state must then consider how those recommendations will be applied. They are not enforceable in South Australia until the State Coordinator, Commissioner Grant Stevens, enacts a Direction.

The South Australian Directions apply to everyone living in, and entering, South Australia.”

The Governor of South Australia approves the declaration and extensions every 28 days. (Originally Major Emergencies were 48 hours)

By end of 2020 South Australia had 4 deaths attributed to COVID-19, and 575 cases, and remained in a recurring State of Emergency justified by a “threat”.

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