GIVE US A DATE

DESPERATION has led Townsville Enterprise to demand answers from the Federal and State governments as the NRL is given the goahead while business remains in the dark.

With thousands of jobs still at risk and billions of dollars on the line, TEL wants the governments to announce a date that will give businesses time to plan a way out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESPERATION has led Townsville Enterprise to demand answers from the federal and state governments as the NRL is given the go-ahead while business remains in the dark.

With thousands of jobs still at risk and billions of dollars on the line, TEL wants the governments to announce a date that will give businesses time to plan a way out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This call comes as the Townsville region reaches 23 days with no new COVID-19 cases and just two people still in isolation with the virus.

Townsville Enterprise CEO Patricia O’callaghan said local businesses had been patient, but it was time for answers.

“Our position has always been to advocate for a region-by-region reopening strategy so we can kickstart our economy as soon as possible where the health success allowed, rather than one size fits all,” she said.

“The way businesses have restructured for the so-called hibernation means they won’t be able to turn back on overnight – it will take time and planning.”

Ms O’callaghan said the Townsville region had worked hard to flatten the curve.

“We know that the State Government has approved exemptions for sports such as NRL and now it is time to put together a road map for the 7000 jobs and North Queensland families that need this industry to fire up again. If we can work to a date for the NRL, then we can work to a date for our local businesses,” she said.

Carl Valentine, who spearheaded a campaign for a regional zones-based structure for Queensland in response to COVID-19 with the help of more than 100 businesses, doctors and politicians, said it was disappointing that Townsville was close to two incubation periods and businesses still had no answers.

Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young has previously said there would need to be two virus incubation periods – 28 days – before restrictions on businesses could be lifted.

“I think that should be based on 28-day periods in each area, in each population centre, not based on 28 days from the last incidents in Queensland,” Mr Valentine said.

Mr Valentine finally received a letter in response to his call for regional zones from the State Government, but with no concrete answers.

A State Government spokesman thanked the Townsville community for its work in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and said the National Cabinet had announced yesterday it would bring forward decisions about potentially relaxing restrictions to next week.

“The Government understands that people are keen to see restrictions ease,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday said the State Government was working on a plan and “hoped to update Queenslanders over the coming weeks”.

She said one of the areas the Government was looking into was cafes and restaurants.

“We’re going to be having detailed discussions with organisations during the course of the next week,” Ms Palaszczuk said.