Standing up for right to drink standing up

MAINLANDERS will be asked if they have been “vertical drinking” in the past 14 days upon entry to the popular Launceston pub Sporties Hotel and denied entry if the answer is “yes”.

Publican and City of Launceston councillor Nick Daking said he was taking a stand against the state government’s no standing rule for pubs and clubs by banning interstate travellers.

The protest follows the opening of Tasmania’s border to travellers from New Zealand and all Australian states and territories apart from Victoria and NSW.

Mr Daking said his pub would remain closed to recent travellers until the restriction was lifted.

“If I go to any other state ( except Victoria and NSW) I can have a beer with them standing up,” he said.

“I’m standing up for my locals, I’m standing up for every Tasmanian hospitality business. Now is the time when we should be able to stand together with our visitors and have a drink.”

Mr Daking said Premier Peter Gutwein had done a “fantastic job” protecting the state and he had nothing against mainlanders, but the restriction on Tasmanians was “un- Australian”.

He said the government needed to explain why stand- up drinking was considered “such a high- risk activity” if the restriction was to remain in place.

“There’s been no proof that standing or sitting down is safer or more risk.

“You can walk around a venue and talk to anyone you want, as long as you practice your own social distancing, with a water in your hand or a coffee. But you can’t do it with a beer in your hand.”

The director of public health Mark Veitch on Friday said restrictions such as vertical drinking would be monitored.

He explained that vertical drinking restrictions enabled more patrons to enter venues and decreased chances of social contact spreading COVID- 19.

Mr Daking said he had received advice confirming his mainlander ban was legal.

“I don’t want to, but it will be for the sake of Tasmania.”