Mock funeral in protest at SA Covid restrictions as mental health toll revealed

Desperate hospitality owners have staged a mock funeral procession over the restrictions that are killing their industry. It comes as the true mental health toll on SA businesses is revealed.

Desperate hospitality and entertainment business owners have staged a mock funeral procession for the local industry, in response to SA’s ongoing Covid-19 restrictions which have crippled their livelihoods.

Organised by industry group Hospo Owners Collective, over 100 people, dressed in black, took part in the rally, which included a march down Peel St and along Hindley St in the city, complete with a mock coffin and hearse.

Duke of Brunswick Hotel publican and group co-founder Simone Douglas said they wanted to send a message to SA’s Transition Committee that continued restrictions on capacity and stand-up drinking are killing the industry, the full force of which will not be felt until March.

“Most food and beverage-based or entertainment businesses traditionally generate 35-45 per cent of their annual turnover between October 1 and December 31,” she said.

“The transition committee by its own admission has no intention of moving on the easement of capacity restrictions, standing consumption indoors or dancing in shared spaces.

“For small hospitality operators this is a slow death but any operator on the ground knows winter is already here in the middle of summer.”

Ms Douglas said were hoping to see some easing of the rules surrounding venue capacities, stand-up drinking, dancing and singing in the state’s Covid roadmap released two weeks ago.

But the Transition Committee declared those activities remained “high-risk” and restrictions in venues will continue until the state’s vaccination rates hit 90 per cent.

A mock funeral procession from Peel St to Hindley St, with Jason Makarenko (front left) and Simone Douglas (front right) of the Hospo Owners Collective. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Last week, the group posted a mock death notice in “loving memory of a vibrant sector”, encouraging people to attend the funeral service to “pay their respects to an industry whose life was cut short” by pandemic restrictions.

Group co-founder Jason Makarenko said their members had been hurting after more than 600 days of restrictions, and today (Monday) was about saying “enough is enough”.

“We wanted to highlight the fact that the opening of SA’s borders is not the same as opening for business, especially in our sector,” he said.

“We have no confidence or trust in the Marshall government, there’s no assurance that we can survive the Christmas season.”

Musicians, DJs, promoters, production staff and venue operators will meet on Monday night at the Arkaba Hotel to plead with the State Government to pull back restrictions.

The SA Entertainment Industry Group is hosting the summit which will be attended by Opposition leader Peter Malinauskas.

It comes as an official survey shows tens of thousands of South Australians are grappling with significant emotional troubles in the biggest recording of Covid-19-related mental health trauma in more than a year.

Latest state government data reveals almost a third of people in the state now report at least one mental health condition after a sharp rise in distress following July’s statewide lockdown and continuing bans.

The protesters walk down Hindley St, angry at Covid restrictions they say are killing the industry. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

The state’s peak business group has warned the transition committee to urgently ease restrictions after being left “highly alarmed” about the escalating mental health toll.

Ahead of borders reopening this month – and an expected surge of Delta cases – authorities have pleaded for people to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing alongside physical exercise.

Wellbeing SA researchers found more than a quarter of adults suffered “psychological distress” in September. It had fallen to fewer than a fifth in the middle of the year.

The monthly SA Population Health Survey, of between 431 and 1200 people, showed almost one-third had “poor overall” wellbeing in September, the second highest reading since October last year.

The survey first asked Covid-19 questions of adults last May. It comes amid SA Health coming under increasing fire over its mental health policies and funding.

Confidential transition committee minutes, dated September 7, show authorities considered a Business SA letter about “mental health impacts on South Australian businesses”.

Business SA chief executive Martin Haese said a survey about July’s lockdown showed it had negatively affected the mental health of more than 70 per cent of business owners. It also cost the economy more than $440m.

“Business SA was highly alarmed at the number of business owners who experienced a mental health impact,” he said. “As a result, we wrote to the transition committee on 30 August to share the results with them before releasing the results to the public.”

A Wellbeing SA spokeswoman urged people to closely monitor their emotions.

“Throughout the pandemic South Australians have excelled at putting each other’s health first; following public health directions, staying home when they are unwell and wearing masks when required,” she said.

“These results, while steady, are an important reminder to us all to prioritise our mental health and wellbeing alongside our physical health, especially over the coming months when we can expect more cases of Covid-19 in the community.”

She urged people to contact the SA Mental Health Covid Support Line, their GP or access resources via the Wellbeing SA website if needed.

Jabs for children

The news comes as Australian kids aged five to 11 face waiting until early next year for a Covid vaccine, despite previous hopes they would be protected by the end of the school term.

Prof Allen Cheng, who is co-chair of the panel which will consider whether children should receive the jab, says it is still weeks away from making a decision on Pfizer.

He said: “I wouldn’t expect that we’ll be vaccinating kids before the end of the school year, and maybe not even until early next year.”

The US is now vaccinating 5-11 year olds with a third of the adult Pfizer dose, after its Food and Drug Administration last week granted emergency approval.

Pfizer has begun its application for Therapeutic Goods Administration approval. But Prof Cheng said the regulator needed to assess its quality, effectiveness and side effects.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) would then make recommendations about the program, while the Commonwealth organised doses.

If ATAGI concludes that the benefits outweigh the risks in all children, it could be a one-step process. But it may wait for more data from the US.

“It’ll happen when it happens,” Prof Cheng said.