From 11.59pm on Thursday 8 September, the following changes apply:

• the self-isolation period for positive COVID-19 cases who don’t have symptoms on day five of their isolation will reduce from seven to five days – excluding people who work in high-risk settings
• the requirement to wear masks on domestic flights will also be lifted.

Additional self-isolation requirements
The new orders around the self-isolation period for positive cases include some additional requirements to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.Anyone leaving isolation after five days cannot visit or work at a sensitive setting – such as hospitals, residential aged care, disability care settings or in-home care for the next two days, or if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

Visit the Coronavirus website for further information

Please be advised that the mainland apple and pear industry applications for the export of apples and pears to Thailand are now open for the 2023 season.

Summary of changes and key points

• Applicants can complete their application forms using the Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) export registration system.
• Applications must be submitted by 5pm AEDT 3 October 2022. Late applications will not be accepted.
• Orchards or packhouses accredited for export to Thailand in 2022 will receive an SMS from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. advising that the application process for accreditation has commenced.
• Orchards or packhouses not accredited in 2022 and wanting to export to Thailand in 2023 must This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to access the export registration system.
• Crop monitors must complete the generic crop monitor course online through the Tocal College online eLearning hub by Monday 17 October 2022 to be eligible to conduct crop monitoring for apples and pears to Thailand.
• All orchards and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Please click on this link for more information - https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/plants-plant-products/ian/2022/2022-56

National Agriculture Day

Friday 18th November

National Agriculture Day is your chance to celebrate and learn about Australia’s incredible farm sector. Held on the third Friday of November each year, it’s one day to celebrate an industry that’s part of our lives every single day.

Ways to get involved:

Hear from guest speakers and industry experts on topics ranging from:

• The importance of HSR's to business.
• How organisational culture impacts workplace mental health.
• What are your rights as a young worker?
• Construction sessions.
• Plus many more!

The events will be delivered as a series of webinars and face to face sessions throughout regional Victoria, so it’s never been easier to participate. Most events are free to attend.

Find a webinar or event to attend here

Need help drafting an employment contract? Use the Business.gov.au – Employment Contract Tool to build employment contracts that are tailored to your business needs and comply with workplace laws. The tool includes easy-to-understand information on the legal requirements you need to include in a contract. There’s more info about employment contracts on our website.

Coronavirus tools and resources
Visit our coronavirus subsite for resources to help you manage the ongoing impacts of coronavirus in your workplace. Stay informed about:

• Updates to unpaid pandemic leave provisions for some awards
• Pandemic leave disaster payment extended
• COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and the workplace
• Quarantine and self-isolation: pay and leave
• Health and safety in the workplace
• government information and assistance.

Who does the Code apply to?
The Horticulture Code applies to any person or business that grows and sells unprocessed horticulture produce to a trader. If you sell horticulture produce, you need to have a valid Horticulture Produce Agreement (HPA) in place with each trader that buys your produce or sells it on your behalf. The code doesn’t apply to growers who sell their horticulture produce to a business that sells directly to consumers, such as a supermarket or greengrocer, or to an exporter.  

What is the Code?
The Horticulture Code is a mandatory industry code covering the sale of unprocessed horticultural produce, such as fruit, vegetables, edible fungi and nuts. The aim of the Code is to ensure transparency and clarity of trading arrangements in the horticultural industry and provide a fair and equitable dispute resolution procedure.

What is the guidance material?
To assist growers and traders of horticultural produce better understand their rights and responsibilities, the ACCC has updated its Code guidance: www.accc.gov.au/horticulturecode. This refresh of the ACCC’s guidance has improved readability and the level of detail to make it more relevant and practical.

What do the updates say?
Traders who are merchants and whose HPA states that the price will be determined by a method or formula are required to report the price they paid growers and the price paid by the third-party buyer. This means a grower who sells to a merchant can see what buyers pay for their fruit or vegetables. The ACCC believes this information is important to provide greater price transparency for growers and enhance competition.

The updated guidance also describes the Code’s requirement for traders to make terms of trade, the standard terms and conditions under which a trader is prepared to do business with growers, publicly available.

The ACCC expects traders to do more than just make terms of trade available upon request, or available at their business premises. The terms of trade provide growers with transparency on the trading conditions proposed, which allows growers to compare traders’ terms quickly and easily.

The ACCC intends to conduct ongoing compliance checks in the horticulture industry and will strongly consider enforcement action where it identifies non-compliance. These checks are important in assessing the effectiveness of, and level of compliance with, the Code.

Why has the ACCC updated its guidance?

Following recent compliance checks, the ACCC identified some issues that required clarification. We took the opportunity to update our guidance to assist growers and traders understand their rights and responsibilities.

The update is timely given the ACCC’s guidance was last revised in 2017 with the introduction of the current version of the code. The years since have provided the opportunity for multiple rounds of compliance checks, as well as the opportunity for helpful industry feedback.