Melbourne Stage 4 restrictions: a 2020 disability-support archive

Stage 4 Restrictions: What does it mean for you?

By Tristram Peters · Originally published 5 August 2020

Original article and dated context

Tristram Peters is a writer, editor, and disability advocate with a keen passion for sport. He co-hosts the Grow Bold with Disability podcast and sits on the sport’s executive board for the Asia Pacific Oceania zone.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, metropolitan Melbourne is now under Stage 4 restrictions and many people with disability and their providers are wondering what this means for them.

To find you answers, we recently attended the 'Safer and Stronger' webinar hosted by NDS and DHHS. It was insightful and so timely, and you should definitely check out the update.

Although the situation is changing, we wanted to quickly summarise the key messages and recommendations from the webinar. This is what you need to know.

[Clickability update, October 2026:

The directions below are historical. Use current health information and your local health authority for present advice.

]

What do the restrictions say?

A person is only allowed to leave home for one of four reasons:

shopping for food or essential goods, but you must not travel more than 5km from your home
providing care or seeking medical treatment for you or your pets
exercising, but you must limit it to no more than one hour and not travel more than 5km from your home
working or studying if you can't from home, but further announcements coming

Please note regional Victoria is under Stage 3 and different restrictions apply.

What does this mean for disability supports?

Essential services can continue under both stages. This is where a disability service is 'essential to a person's health, safety, behaviour and wellbeing', whether in-home, on site, or in the community.

NDA states (at time of writing) that this includes residential services, in-home support, behaviour support, community support (if it applies to one of the four reasons above), centre-based services, and aids and equipment - all where essential. Importantly, NDIS participants can be supported by more than one support worker.

All Victorian support workers MUST wear a face mask. They are allowed to travel into restricted areas and may travel more than 5km when providing essential support.

If you can provide this service from home, you must do so. (For instance, if a support coordinator can support someone from their own home, they need to do so. If they cannot, they are allowed face-to-face visits with appropriate infection control measures.)

For more, check out this Q&A guide.

[Clickability update, October 2026:

The departmental group and email below describe 2020. Confirm current outbreak and reporting arrangements through the relevant health authority and provider procedures.

]

What support is there?

Disability and Communities Branch, DHHS, has established the Disability Rapid Response Group (DRRG) to support COVID-19 outbreak management and minimise the likelihood of outbreaks.

If you are a provider, email DDRG@dhhs.vic.gov.au when you have a COVID-19 positive case and the group will coordinate a response between department and services.

Clickability editorial update: October 2026

Ask about current arrangements for essential help

Check who can assist if a worker becomes ill, how you will receive updates and which tasks cannot be interrupted. Make your communication and access needs part of that plan. Do not cancel support because an old article says a particular activity was restricted.

Seek health advice through current healthdirect information or an appropriate clinician. Budget, pricing and service-agreement questions have separate current rules.

Update the continuity plan rather than reusing the old restriction summary

Use present health guidance, reporting requirements and service arrangements. Confirm how workers and participants will hear about a change, and what backup is possible. Explain actual limits honestly and avoid treating a 2020 webinar summary as an operative policy. Government high-risk-setting guidance is a current reference.

Questions readers ask

Are the five-kilometre and Stage 4 rules current?

No. This article records August 2020.

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