Twist on borders
THE state’s borders should stay closed indefinitely but all internal coronavirus restrictions eased to open up the local economy, a group of Tasmanian business leaders and owners says.
The group delivered a clear message to Premier Peter Gutwein — keep Tasmania’s borders locked down, but let the locals come out to play.
THE state’s borders should stay closed indefinitely and all internal coronavirus restrictions eased to open up the local economy, say a group of Tasmanian business leaders and owners.
Ahead of an update by Premier Peter Gutwein, the group gathered outside parliament on Friday afternoon with a clear message — keep Tasmania’s borders locked down but let the locals come out.
They have also called for a review of a travel bubble arrangement announced last week which would see the state open up to South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
But the state government and Public Health officials declared the state’s coronavirus rules, including social distancing and gathering limits, would be in place for many months.
Tasmania has had 227 confirmed cases of coronavirus — but only one since May 15 — a young Tasmanian woman who had returned from Victoria and was in hotel quarantine, and who has now been cleared of the virus.
“The Premier is 100 per cent right — we live in the safest place in the world,’’ Tasmanian Small Business Council chief executive Robert Mallett said.
“We’re effectively COVID virus free but unfortunately Salamanca traders along with just about every other small business have been restricted … from operating at full capacity.
“The value of operating at full capacity is that we need less government stimulus and I think we can actually stand on our own two feet now.”
Public Health director Mark Veitch said the state had to keep some restrictions in place to protect the community from the virus.
“We can’t expect to go all the way back to freely mixing and living exactly as we did as if COVID doesn’t exist. It exists,’’ he said.
Dr Veitch said he appealed to the Tasmanian business community and general population to understand restrictions would be in place for some time and to adapt their work and social lives accordingly.
“If you drop a case of coronavirus into a setting where there’s people crowded and mixing like they did this time last year, you’ll have a real risk of an explosive outbreak,’’ he said.
Mr Gutwein said if a case was introduced among a more freely mixing population, the state could be in “desperate straits”.
But Ian Vaughan, the managing director of Pub Banc Group, which owns venues like Cargo, Jack Greene, Post Street Social and the Observatory nightclub, said businesses were being hamstrung by social distancing rules.
“Local customers want to come out and support the local businesses,’’ he said.
“We come down to the waterfront on a Saturday night and every business on the waterfront has line-ups of people because they can’t get in because of social distancing restrictions.
“There’s no eight ball, no standing up and socialising with friends and no dancing. The Observatory nightclub and other nightclubs across the Hobart city area are still closed and so none of those employees have any work.”
Mr Vaughan said the rules were confusing and frustrating, and he argued the hospitality industry was being unfairly treated compared with other sectors.
“We don’t need to let interstate people in. Let’s relax the rules for the locals,’’ he said.
Customs House Hotel owner Paul Jubb said keeping the borders closed to keep the virus out and easing internal restrictions would enable his business to increase its capacity.
Mr Jubb said a second lockdown would be devastating for business.
Rose Flynn said she supported easing Tasmania’s restrictions because it would enable small businesses like hers to thrive.
She started Little Aussie Snugglebuds — a business focused on souvenirs for international tourists — earlier this year and intended to trade at Salamanca Market before coronavirus rules forced it to be shut down.
Independent Clark MHA Madeleine Ogilvie joined the group outside parliament and said Tasmania had contained the virus well, but could now go a step further. “We have handled this well. We can also handle well keeping our borders closed hard, plus letting the locals come out,’’ she said.
“The people of Tasmania are intelligent, they are stoic, and if we have a problem, we can impose restrictions again if we need to.”
WE HAVE HANDLED THIS WELL. WE CAN ALSO HANDLE WELL KEEPING OUR BORDERS CLOSED ... THE PEOPLE OF TASMANIA ARE INTELLIGENT, THEY ARE STOIC, AND IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM, WE CAN IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS AGAIN.
MADELEINE OGILVIE