insights

New Orders for NSW Food Businesses Amid COVID-19 Crisis

April 2, 2020 — The Environmental Planning and Assessment (COVID-19 Development – Takeaway Food and Beverages) Order 2020 includes extending the ability of restaurants to serve take-out food. The orders will allow for unrestricted operations of restaurants that provide take-out and delivery only. This will make it easier for food service businesses to switch to these types of operations and hit the ground running. As long as food businesses abide by the social distancing rules in place, they will be able to continue to provide take-out and home delivery.

There are also new orders put in place that will assist food trucks during the COVID-19 pandemic. These orders allow food trucks to now operate anywhere in the state of NSW, as long as they have permission to use the space from land owners. This is a drastic change from the previously tough restrictions food trucks faced about where and when they could operate.

Food service businesses across all states of Australia are facing temporary closures, some of which may end up being permanent if the pandemic doesn’t pass soon. In order to curb food business losses, including job losses for staff, switching to take-out or home delivery is becoming one of the only options available for dine-in restaurants. This is why the NSW Government has taken significant steps to make a transition to take-out or delivery an easier and quicker process. It is hoped that these small changes will have larger positive effects on the food industry in Australia.