Prime Minister says Australians should download COVIDSafe app as part of Step 3 framework – despite it being voluntary under legislation

Has Scott Morrison overstepped the line?

The Prime Minister has listed “downloading the COVIDSafe app to allow identification and traceability of people that have been in contact with a confirmed COVID case” as one of the minimum steps that Australians should be adopting as part of the National Cabinet’s move to Step 3 of its COVID-19 response to be completed next month.

Over 6.3 million Australians have downloaded the COVIDSafe app since it was released on 26 April – seven weeks ago – or 24% of the population, but the numbers are still far short of the 40% target for the app to work at its optimum level.

A number of State and Territory health authorities have stated that COVIDSafe has not identified any otherwise unidentified contacts because of the low number of confirmed cases in Australia.

But on Friday, Mr Morrison said the National Cabinet had agreed the States and Territories should adopt a number of COVIDSafe arrangements including at a minimum:

• downloading the COVIDSafe app to allow identification and traceability of people that have been in contact with a confirmed COVID case;
• 1 person per 4sqm;
• staying 1.5 metres away from other people whenever and wherever possible;
• maintaining good hand washing and cough/sneeze hygiene; and
• staying home when unwell, and getting tested if you have respiratory symptoms or a fever.

Daily RESOURCE readers have stressed to us that the legislation states that the app is not mandatory and employers – including aged care providers – cannot require staff to download it.

The PM’s comments suggest otherwise.