Kia ora koutou,

We hope you enjoyed the weekend, whether you were in Alert Level 3 or 4.

As you will know from this afternoon’s Government update, the rest of New Zealand apart from Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 from 11.59pm tomorrow, Tuesday. Auckland will remain in Alert Level 4 for at least another week.

Alert Level 2 may look something like it did in the past, but with some key changes. This includes a tightening of gatherings numbers (indoors vs outdoors) and travel controls. These changes will bring operational challenges for our sector so Sport NZ officials will work swiftly with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to fully understand the rules and test related scenarios.

We have temporarily removed our Alert Level 2 information online until we can clarify the guidelines and will let you know via Sector Update once new details are published. As always if you have any questions, please contact your Partnership Manager if you have one, or send COVID-19 related queries to this address: Covid19response@sportnz.org.nz.

IN THIS SECTOR UPDATE:

• Mandatory record keeping – updated information for the sport and recreation sector
• International travel update – extension of temporary pause on release of MIQ rooms

CHANGES TO MANDATORY RECORD KEEPING AND QR CODE SCANNING

Under Alert Levels 3 and 2, more businesses and locations are required to have processes in place to enable people to scan in using the COVID-19 tracer app, or manually record their visit.             

Displaying QR codes for scanning is a legal requirement under the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 10) 2021. This means you need to display a QR code and have one alternate form of record-keeping for people who do not use the COVID Tracer App.

Mandatory record keeping will help ensure that any close-contact businesses and locations which are allowed to be open, and which are at higher-risk of transmission of COVID-19 occurring when there are cases in the community, have good systems in place enable people to record their visit. Good record keeping supports faster communication with those who are identified as contacts of a positive case.                  

This requirement comes into effect at 11.59 pm on 7 September 2021.

How is this different from current settings? 

Currently the only record keeping requirement is for businesses in limited scenarios at Alert Level 3 to have systems and processes to ensure – as far as is reasonably practicable – that a record is kept, and for attendees at social gatherings at all Alert Levels.

What does this mean for the sport and recreation sector?          

For the sport and recreation sector, this will apply to:

• Indoor facilities where sport and recreation occur e.g. recreation centres, swimming pools
• Indoor exercise facilities e.g. gyms, yoga studios

• Sport and recreation clubrooms
• Commercial and ticketed sport and recreation events

In all other places where people gather, it is encouraged but not mandatory to provide record keeping. For example:

• Changing rooms
• Non-commercial or non-ticketed outdoor events involving more than 30 people

If you are in doubt, it is recommended you provide record keeping.

For more information, please refer to our FAQs on new mandatory record keeping and QR code scanning requirements, or visit:
Record keeping and contact tracing | Unite against COVID-19 (covid19.govt.nz)

Resources for businesses and organisations

There are new resources including posters and three new ‘record keeping box’ templates in different sizes, and new record keeping slips and a sticker for custom boxes.  They can be found here .

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Due to the continuing community outbreak, the Government has decided to extend the temporary pause on the release and re-release of rooms for a short period of time.  Many athletes, teams and officials are hoping to travel for international competition and events are affected by this and we understand you are unable to plan with any certainty.  

We know that a new system is going to be piloted in the coming weeks and that there are still several thousand rooms that could be released through to the end of November, with December rooms still to come.   Please note that Sport NZ and HPSNZ have no influence over the public MIAS system, individuals and National Sporting Organisations need to be prepared to book their own vouchers when they become available.

For the latest information please click here Update: Pause on vouchers extended and pilot of 'virtual lobby' | Managed isolation and quarantine (miq.govt.nz)

Ngā mihi,
Raelene