Australia is well into its second month of Covid-19 lockdowns and every state enforcing physical distancing laws slightly differently. Politicians have said these rules are simple, but it is clear the public still has a lot of questions about coronavirus lockdown rules and restrictions. In most states enforcement is left up to police officers’ discretion, therefore it is difficult to provide exact information on what is or isn’t allowed. Here we try to answer some of the most common questions people have about the new laws based on the information, though these answers should not be treated as legal advice. An asterisk indicates Guardian Australia has sought clarification from the state or territory government and will update when it is received. Can I sit in a park alone? New South Wales – No, in NSW you are only allowed to leave the house for essential reasons or to visit another person’s home. The essential reasons include exercise, however, sitting in a park for recreational reasons is not allowed. Police may ask you to move along or fine you. But from 15 May, you will be allowed to gather in groups of up to 10 people outside. It’s unclear yet whether this will allow gathering in a park for recreational reasons. Victoria – Unclear*. Legislation suggests that you would only be allowed in a park for the purpose of exercise, but on 1 April Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton told ABC radio that he thought sitting in a park alone was an acceptable activity as it posed little risk of spreading infection. Guardian Australia has requested clarification from Victoria police and the premier’s office. Queensland – Yes, as of Friday 1 May people are allowed to leave the home for recreational activities. This means you are allowed to sit in a park even if you aren’t exercising. You can do this alone, with one guest or with all the members of your household. Tasmania – Technically no*, Tasmanian residents are only allowed to leave the house for essential reasons. The essential reasons include exercise, however, sitting in a park for recreational reasons is not allowed. But a spokeswoman for Tasmania police said they are unaware of anyone being charged or summonsed in relation to sitting in parks so far. Australian Capital Territory – As of 8 May, ACT residents are allowed to gather in groups of up to 10 people indoors and outdoors, and have picnics. Therefore, it is likely to be OK to sit in a park by yourself, or with others, as long as you are observing responsible physical distancing. Western Australia – Yes, you are allowed to leave the home for recreational reasons, and are now allowed to meet with up to 10 people. However, you are not permitted to travel between the nine WA regions unless it is on “compassionate grounds”. South Australia and Northern Territory – Yes. There are currently no fines for leaving the house for non-essential reasons, however unnecessary socialisation is discouraged. In SA gatherings are limited to 10. Can I visit my romantic partner if we don’t live together? New South Wales – Police commissioner Mike Fuller has previously said that you are allowed to visit a romantic partner, as this is considered to come under the “care” exemption. As of Friday 1 May up to two adults and the children in their care will be allowed to visit another person’s home in NSW. Victoria – Yes. While originally it appeared that you would not be allowed to see your partner, the Victorian chief health officer tweeted that an exemption to the no social visits rule would be made for partners. Queensland – Yes, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said households are allowed to have two additional guests at a time, but physical distancing should still be observed when possible. Outdoor gatherings are limited to two, or members of the same household. Tasmania – Yes. Tasmania has a broad definition of “social support” which is considered an essential reason for leaving the home. This allows for romantic partners and family members to still visit one another, however social distancing must still be observed and you are not permitted to stay overnight unless you have elected their home to be your primary residence from 31 March on. Australian Capital Territory – Yes, households are allowed to have two additional guests at a time, however, there must be at least four square metres per person indoors. Outdoor gatherings are limited to two, or members of the same household. Western Australia – Yes. WA has relaxed gathering limits from two people to 10 people. You are not permitted to travel between the nine WA regions unless it is on “compassionate grounds”. From 18 May, up to 20 people will be allowed to gather, and travel to all but four regional areas will be permitted. South Australia and Northern Territory – Yes. There are currently no fines for leaving the house for non-essential reasons, however unnecessary socialisation is discouraged. In SA Gatherings are limited to 10. All states currently allow you to leave the home and meet with at least one person to do exercise. This means you are allowed to meet your partner or a friend in public to exercise with them. Some states have limits on how far you can travel for exercise, however, and the maximum number of people you can meet see. Can I temporarily move in with my partner during the lockdowns? NSW – Yes, you are allowed to move house. Victoria – Yes, you are allowed to move house. Queensland – Yes, but there may be restrictions on how far those helping you move are allowed to travel. Tasmania, ACT – Yes, you are allowed to move house. WA – Yes, you are allowed to move house, but there may be restrictions on crossing regional borders. SA and NT – Yes, there are currently no fines for leaving the house for non-essential reasons. Can I take my dog for a walk? Yes, in all states you are allowed to leave your home for exercise, which includes dog walking. Social distancing measures should be observed while out. How far are you allowed to travel for exercise? No states have specific rules on the distance you are allowed to travel to exercise, however many have appealed for people to use “common sense”. NSW – You are allowed to drive across town however you aren’t allowed to travel hours out of the city. Victoria – Premier Daniel Andrews said on Twitter exercise had to be local and not “driving for miles and being out all day”. However, from midnight 12 May, there will be no limit on how far one can travel throughout the state. ACT – There are no official limits, however people are encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel, and where possible avoid areas where they are likely to come into close contact with others. Tasmania – Not specified, however, the government urges residents to use common sense and avoid unnecessary travel. Queensland – You must stay within 50km of your home. From Saturday 16 May, you will be allowed to take day trips up to 150km within your region. Those in rural Australia will also be allowed to travel 500km within the outback. WA – You are not allowed to travel between the nine regions of Western Australia without good cause, such as work or compassionate reasons. Therefore exercise should be limited to your region and unnecessary travel avoided. From Monday 18 May, travel to most nearby regions will be allowed. But travel will still be restricted to remote communities in the Pilbara, Goldfields, and Kimberley. SA and NT – There are currently no restrictions on the reasons for leaving your house, however, you are urged not to travel unless necessary. Can my relatives babysit for me if we don’t live together? The federal government is recommending those over 70, those with chronic illness over 60 and Indigenous people over 50, self-isolate as much as possible. However, no state will currently issue penalties to those who do not. Therefore it’s recommended that elderly relatives do not look after children. NSW – Yes, it counts as “care”, and as of Friday 1 May up to two adults and the children in their care will be allowed to visit another person’s home. From Friday 15 May, this number of visitors will increase from two to five. Physical distancing should still be observed in the home where possible. Victoria – You are allowed to leave the home to provide caregiving, therefore likely yes. Also, from midnight Tuesday 12 May, you will be allowed to have five guests over to your home. Queensland – Yes, this constitutes “care”. As of Monday 11 May, households are allowed to have five additional guests at a time, but physical distancing should still be observed when possible. Tasmania – Yes, it counts as “social support”. ACT – Yes, however only 10 people are allowed to gather indoors at a time and there must be at least four square metres per person indoors. WA – Yes, as long as a maximum of 10 people are at the gathering. You are not permitted to travel between the nine WA regions unless you are caring for family members or on “compassionate grounds”. From Monday 18 May, travel to most nearby regions will be allowed, except for to remote communities in the Pilbara, Goldfields, and Kimberley. SA – Yes, as long as a maximum of 10 people are at the gathering. NT – Yes. Can I visit my immediate family if we don’t live together? NSW – The definition of “care” has now been broadened to include visiting friends and family for the benefit of mental health. Up to two adults and the children in their care can now visit another person’s home. From Friday 11 May, up to five people will be allowed to visit another household at the one time. Victoria – Generally no, social visits are not allowed. However, you can visit to deliver food, provide medical care and for “compassionate reasons”. From midnight Tuesday 12 May, you can have up to five guests visit your home. There will be no limit on how far you can travel throughout the state. Queensland – Yes, households are allowed to have two additional guests at a time, but physical distancing should still be observed when possible and unnecessary social gatherings should be limited. . From Saturday 16 May, gatherings of up to five people will be allowed in homes. People will be allowed to take day trips up to 150km within their region, while those in rural Australia will be allowed to travel 500km within the outback. Tasmania – Yes, this falls under “social support”, however, only two visitors are permitted in homes at any one time and must be mindful of social distancing and avoiding unnecessary travel. The state-wide ban on nursing home visits was lifted on Monday 11 May. ACT – Yes, however households are only allowed two guests at a time and there must be at least four square metres per person indoors. WA – Yes, as long as there are a maximum of 10 people at the gathering. Existing restrictions on travelling between WA regions also apply until Monday 18 May, when you will only be limited from travelling to remote communities in the Pilbara, Goldfields, and Kimberley. From 18 May, the number of people allowed to gather indoors will also double from 10 to 20. SA – Yes, as long as there are a maximum of 10 people at the gathering, however unnecessary social interaction is discouraged. NT – Yes, however unnecessary social interaction is discouraged and physical distancing should be observed. All states currently allow you to leave the home and meet up with one person to do exercise. This means you are allowed to meet a family member in public to exercise with them. There are limits on how far you can travel for exercise, however see above. My kids live part-time with me and my partner. Are they still allowed to travel between homes? Yes. Currently all states allow you to uphold current shared parental agreements. This means you are allowed to drive your children to their other parent or carer’s residence, and they are allowed to visit your residence to pick children up. Am I allowed to leave home if it’s an emergency or required by law? Yes. All states allow you to leave your home if you are legally required to do so. You are allowed to flee violence, and you are allowed to leave if your house becomes uninhabitable. Can I have social guests if I live alone? All Australians have been urged to avoid unnecessary socialisation. NSW – Up to two adults and the children in their care are now allowed to visit another person’s home. From Friday 15 May, this number will increase to five adults. You are still not allowed to travel to regional Australia to visit friends. Victoria – No, social visits are not allowed. From Tuesday 12 May, up to five people can visit your home. But the government still says you should only see friends and family “if you really need to”. There will be no restriction on how far someone can travel for recreational visits. Queensland – Yes, but no more than two guests are allowed in a household at a time, and physical distancing must be observed. From Saturday 16 May , up to five adults who live together can visit another household, but should still keep a 1.5m distance from one another. You will be allowed to travel up to 150km from your home for recreational purposes. Tasmania – Yes, this falls under “social support”, however only two visitors are allowed at a time and must be mindful of social distancing and avoiding unnecessary travel. ACT – Yes, but only 10 people are allowed to gather in a household and should respect physical distancing. WA – Yes, gatherings must be limited to 10 people, there must be 4 square matters of space per person, and physical distancing should be maintained. From Monday 18 May, the number of people allowed to gather indoors will increase to 20. SA– Yes, but gatherings must be limited to 10. NT – Yes, but physical distancing must be observed. Can I get a coffee with a friend? NSW – Yes, but only if it is takeaway and if you have met a friend for the purpose of exercising, or if you are visiting another person’s home. From 15 May, up to 10 people will be allowed to dine-in at a cafe or restaurant, as long as there are at least four sq metres per person. Queensland – Yes, as of Friday 1 May, people are allowed to leave the house for some recreational activities, including getting a takeaway coffee with one friend or the members of your household. From 16 May, cafes in regional or rural areas with no cases will be allowed to seat up to 20 people. Victoria and Tasmania – Yes, but only if it is takeaway and you have met a friend for the purpose of exercising. From midnight on the 12th May, you can go and have coffee at another person’s home, though the state government says you should only visit other people “if you really need to”. ACT, SA– Yes, as long as it is takeaway. WA – Yes, as long as it is takeaway. But from Monday 18 May, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to seat up to 20 diners as long as they follow the four sq metres per person rule. NT – Yes, as long as it is takeaway. Cafes and restaurants will be allowed to reopen from Friday 15 May. Can I give someone a lift to work, even if they don’t live with me? NSW – Yes, you can drive a colleague to work with you, however, it is unclear if you can leave the house to drive someone to their job if you do not also work there. If they cannot drive themselves this is likely covered under “care”.* You can only take one passenger or anyone who is part of your household. Victoria and Queensland – Yes, you can drive a colleague to work with you. Driving someone else to work if they cannot drive themselves likely falls under “providing care and support”. You can only take one passenger or anyone who is part of your household. Tasmania – Yes, but there must be an essential reason for all passengers to be travelling in the vehicle. ACT – Yes, but you can only take one passenger or anyone who is part of your household. It is encouraged you create as much distance between you and your passenger as possible, such as having them sit in the back seat. WA – Yes, but you can only take one passenger or anyone who is part of your household. You will likely require a letter from your work if you wish to cross the border into another region within the state. SA And NT – Yes. Can a tradesperson still come into my house to do work? Yes, however only if it is for essential works. If it can wait, it should. Physical distancing practices should be observed. Can I still learn to drive? NSW – Yes. NSW Police posted on Facebook in April that they “consider that it would be a reasonable excuse for a person to leave their house to receive driving lessons (either from a driving instructor or a member of their family), given that it is a learning activity that cannot be done from home … ” They also said that learner drivers could drive with a supervising family member under one of the reasonable excuses for leaving the house, such as going to the supermarket. Queensland – You can learn to drive if your instructor is in your household. You are allowed to drive around your local neighbourhoods to gain hours, or anywhere if travelling for an essential reason. If they are caught doing otherwise, they face a $1300 fine from QLD police. Victoria – A teenager was fined for learning to drive in early April, but Victoria police have since withdrawn the fine. Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said in early April that, nonetheless, getting driving practice for the sole reason of accruing hours “is not an essential activity … [except] when driving to purchase food or supplies, or when travelling to work or education”. Western Australia – A Department of Transport spokesperson has previously said that “learners and supervisors are encouraged to assess their need to continue to practise driving at this time”, and encouraged drivers to have a supervisor from their household. Western Australia has been divided up into nine regions, and you cannot travel from one region into another region for a non-essential reason. From Monday 18 May, you will only be limited from travelling to remote communities in the Pilbara, Goldfields, and Kimberley. SA – No specific advice. But there are no restrictions on travel within South Australia. Tasmania – Driving lessons are considered a “reasonable excuse” for leaving home, and lessons with an instructor are exempt from the 1.5 social distancing rule, meaning trainers can sit in the front seat. Learner drivers should stick to their local area, though. NT, ACT – No specific advice. Who decides if I am breaking the new laws? Generally, enforcement will be left up to the discretion of police officers. States have expressed different approaches, for example, the ACT says it will be issuing a warning in the first instance, while Victoria has adopted a more hardline attitude to those break social distancing rules. NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller said he would personally review all physical-distancing fines issued in the state. “If I think it’s unreasonable, it will be withdrawn immediately and we’ll make personal contact with the individual,” he said. What are my options for challenging a fine? Not all states have specified this, however, it appears these fines can be appealed using the same process as other fines issued by police. Information on how to lodge an appeal should be available on your state or territory’s government website. Due to the unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak, this article is being regularly updated to ensure that it reflects the current situation at the date of publication. Any significant corrections made to this or previous versions of the article will continue to be footnoted in line with Guardian editorial policy.