Businesses demands clarity

FRUSTRATED Queensland businesses are demanding the state government provide protections to allow them to ban unvaccinated customers without the fear of legal repercussions, industry groups say.

Businesses were left confused last week when Deputy Premier Steven Miles said a second Covid-19 road map would be released for businesses detailing customer vaccination restrictions, only for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to declare two days later there was no second road map.

Under the existing road map, companies will be exempt from some public health restrictions if only vaccinated customers are served once the state reaches the 80 per cent double-dose milestone.

However, Queensland businesses are now calling for the government to ensure banning unvaccinated customers would not lead to legal complaints.

National Retail Association chief executive Dominique Lamb (above) said questions remained about the legalities of companies denying entry.

“It’s something, in my view, that could be easily cleared up with a directive, but as we understand it, the government won’t go down that path,” she said.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland policy and advocacy manager Cherie Josephson said businesses needed to know what requirements they would need to meet.

Ms Palaszczuk said no decision had been made on whether unvaccinated people would be allowed into government facilities, including stadiums, or if businesses would be rewarded with more relaxed restrictions if they were open only to those vaccinated.