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BUSINESS
VOICE t MICHAEL MOWLE
PRESIDENT PORT MACQUARIE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Businesses across NSW are now eagerly anticipating the easing of restrictions in early October when the 70% vaccination threshold is achieved. This will be the beginning of the NSW roadmap to a recovery and hopefully a signal that debilitating lockdowns are a thing of the past.
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ourism and hospitality has been affected very badly and the easing of restrictions is now sorely needed to allow this industry to begin its recovery. It is very important that Port Macquarie tourism and hospitality businesses are able to welcome back visitors from metropolitan areas initially followed by interstate guests and ultimately international travellers. At this point there remains a great deal of uncertainty around the vaccine passport system and how that might be implemented and enforced by hospitality traders still in recovery mode. Many will be reluctant to refuse entry to unvaccinated patrons unless there are clear guidelines in place. It will become difficult to manage entry when there may be a variety of individual circumstances to consider. The NSW Government has led all states in providing a roadmap to recovery but vaccine passports are clearly uncharted territory that delves into individuals rights set against those of the business operator to refuse entry on their terms. It has already been hinted that pilot schemes or trials may well be run to
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assess and iron out some of the problems. higher caseloads. Some 18 months on it is Deputy Premier, John Barilaro has sensibly now expected that health services have indeed suggested that these could be conducted in increased their capacity and gained significant regional areas where experience in dealing the risks are lower and with the virus. With a it is likely to be easier to likely vaccination rate Tourism and manage numbers. of above 80% being hospitality The extended achieved well before has been affected lockdown in Sydney Christmas this year a very badly and the due to the Delta strain complete opening up of easing of restrictions of Covid has clearly the economy should be demonstrated that this achieved seamlessly and is now sorely needed virus is here for some safely without the need to allow this time in one form or for further lockdowns. industry to begin its another and we need Governments also recovery. to learn to live with have an ongoing it without constantly responsibility to continue closing down our providing support for business community. The logical and almost businesses who are recovering from being unanimous conclusion by governments now forceably and repeatedly shutdown since is that vaccination of the majority of the March 2020. Many small businesses have population is the only realistic long term suffered immeasurable damage and their solution. recovery is going to be long and arduous. In The original reasons given for the lockdowns some circumstances tailored support for small in early 2020 were to suppress the virus spread business and affected industry groups may well and give health services time to prepare for be needed for some time to come.
