Mobile tattoo vans will be allowed to operate in Tasmania under revised health guidelines, after a Hobart tattooist was unable to use his van during Dark Mofo.
Health Minister Bridget Archer announced the change this morning at a fundraising event for Lifeline Tasmania in North Hobart with the team from Scarr Parlour.
Archer received a a fresh tattoo of two stars on her arm as she revealed the news.
Under the updated Guidelines for Tattooing, mobile premises can be used for tattooing if they are registered with the local council and meet the same procedural and environmental standards as fixed premises.
Archer said the changes had been signed off by the Director of Public Health and would be gazetted this week.
“We support the provision of mobile services, as long as they’re provided safely,” she said.
The change follows a push from Jason Scarr and his wife Casey, who own Scarr Parlour. Their petition calling for the change was due to be tabled in parliament next week.
Scarr said the petition attracted “about twelve hundred signatures”.
“Mainly the thing that affected us was the mobile tattooing just blatantly being banned,” he said.
He said the business “lost out on a couple of little gigs” during Dark Mofo and now planned to take the van to events.
“Honestly the biggest one we get asked for is weddings,” he said.
The revised guidelines also update references to codes and standards and include guidance on infection prevention and control.
“Unsafe or unhygienic practices can have serious consequences and the regulatory framework is designed to ensure appropriate infection control standards are consistently met,” Archer said.
She said tattoo regulations were “quite dated” and the government would do more work on them in the coming months.
Sunday’s flash tattoo event was cash only, with all proceeds going to Lifeline Tasmania. Scarr said he hoped to raise “a couple grand at least”.
Lifeline Tasmania chief executive Liz Brown said the event raised awareness of mental health and “the support that’s available for people at a time when we know they need it more than ever”.
