COVID-19 Reopening Plan

18/02/2022

President's message

Today, I am pleased to announce the Association’s roadmap for the return of in-person member services.

As members well know, in-person CPDs, meetings and Common Room events were suspended at the onset of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This was a difficult decision but one that was necessary in the interests of the health and safety of members, Association staff and guests.

The suspension of in-person events brought new opportunities for us all. By pivoting to online delivery of CPDs and committee meetings, the regional Bar has had far greater access to Association activities. Those with caring responsibilities, and those with accessibility or other needs, have been able to interact with the Association and their colleagues in new ways. We have also all improved our technological literacy (and ability to find the ‘mute’ button), one Zoom meeting at a time.

However, there is no denying that the temporary loss of face-to-face events has been a challenge. The NSW Bar prides itself on a strong spirit of collegiality, something which is hard to replicate solely through a computer screen.

With double-vaccination rates hovering at 95%, COVID-19 case numbers on their way down, and with the imminent easing of restrictions in New South Wales, now is the time to look forward. The Association’s COVID-19 Reopening Plan sets out a careful, phased approach for the resumption of in-person Association services. It balances the desire to reopen as soon as possible with the need to manage ongoing health risks. The Reopening Plan also seeks to retain the undeniable benefits of online approaches as we transition to a member services model in which online and in-person formats are complementary, not alternatives.

Key details of the Reopening Plan include:

• On 28 February 2022, the Bar Library and Reception will reopen full-time.
• On 7 March 2022, the Common Room will reopen for significant events and a trial of hybrid (in-person and online) CPDs will commence.
• On 19 April 2022, the Association will enter its COVID-safe ‘business as usual’ phase. From this date, the Common Room will reopen for most pre-booked COVID-safe events and, subject to the results of the hybrid CPD trial, CPDs will run both online and regularly in hybrid format. Committee meetings will remain online for the benefit of members of the regional Bar and those with caring and other responsibilities.

The Association’s primary concern throughout the pandemic has been the health and welfare of its members. The resumption of in-person services will be made possible by each of us complying with the comprehensive set of COVID-19 safety measures set out in the Reopening Plan. These sensible and familiar measures, including vaccination, capacity limits, registration and mask wearing, will keep us all safe.

As we have learnt from two years of living through an unpredictable pandemic, the Association and all members will need to be agile and resilient in the face of the unknowable yet inevitable new challenges that the ongoing pandemic will present. The Reopening Plan will be adapted to suit the circumstances, and we all need to be prepared for the possibility of new variants and tighter restrictions returning.

Whatever those challenges, I look forward to seeing more of you in person as we move through the Reopening Plan and reinvigorate our strong and vibrant Association.

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