SA border restrictions to lift immediately, nightclub rules to ease – but venue operators say they don’t go far enough

Nightclub operators have reacted with anger to plans to ease restrictions, with one Hindley St business saying the new rules are a “nightmare” that will end up bankrupting him.

SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has announced our state borders have reopened. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Travellers can now freely enter South Australia for the first time in more than nine months – and nightclubs can also reopen under strict conditions but venue operators are not happy with the plans.

In a highly anticipated decision after 268 days of bans, the state’s top cop revealed all border restrictions and checkpoints across SA would be lifted immediately.

In a separate major development, SA Health told various nightclub operators on Wednesday night that officials would now consider special management plans that would allow patrons to dance and drink for the first time since March 23.

SA Health will now resume processing nightclub plans if venues “adhere” to various principles.

These include a cap of 200 patrons at ticketed events with 50 per cent capacity, while clubbers can only attend one venue a night and no mosh pits are allowed.

Adelaide nightclub operator John Meek. Picture: AAP/Image Russell Millard

But the nightclub industry argues the plans are not enough to save venue operators.

They have called for 75 per cent capacity as many face rent rises in the New Year.

Prominent Hindley Street venue operator John Meek, who owns The Woolshed, Downtown and Blackbull, was scathing of the new rules.

“This is a nightmare,” he said. “It will absolutely devastate us. I am trying to save years of work,” he said.

“With these current rules I will lose millions of dollars. It will bankrupt me within weeks.”

Australian Hotels Association boss, Ian Horne, said the new rules appeared “complex, unnecessarily bureaucratic and inflexible”.

“Nightclubs have been deliberately prevented from trading as nightclubs for nearly nine months,” he said.

“There still appears some illogical or unexplained requirements. Why a ticketed event only when each venue is required to have comprehensive scanning and tracing technology?

“How can a venue possibly prevent a patron who leaves one venue not attending another? Isn’t that what the QR scanning is for?

“Why has no consultation been undertaken with industry or operators in establishing this plan?

“Australia and South Australia has been declared ‘effectively virus free’ but that doesn’t appear to help the operators in the late night economy,” he said.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens’ “operational” border decision, which he made without consulting chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier, will stand down more than 500 officers from permit checking and reduce the major police presence at Adelaide Airport.

Airport travellers will only be asked three coronavirus questions upon arrival but vehicles will not be stopped.

In the latest sign authorities believe the threat from the state’s worst cluster is over, Mr Stevens revealed free travel was now permitted after Premier Steven Marshall announced borders would close at the COVID-19 pandemic’s height, also on March 23.

Mr Stevens, who is also state COVID co-ordinator, announced his decision just hours after “unanimous” agreement at a national meeting of the country’s police commissioners he’d convened.

Australia’s health chiefs also agreed to ease bans, after medical advice determined the battle against the virus was being won.

Authorities agreed the country’s biggest risk would emerge from returning expatriates who must quarantine for a fortnight in medi-hotels.

Mr Stevens said officers would be happy to return to regular duties – and their families – in the lead-up to Christmas.

“I think it is fair to say that COVID-19 has virtually been eliminated from within the community of Australia,” he said.

“In fact, SA was probably the last outlier, based on the Parafield cluster.

“Having reached that point, and based on the obligation to make sure that we are effectively using our resources, we made the determination to withdraw that particular border checkpoint activity.”

In a statement to The Advertiser on Wednesday night, deputy chief public health officer, Dr Chris Lease, said it was appropriate to ease nightclub restrictions.

“Until now, approval for COVID management plans for high risk activities such as traditional nightclubs have been paused as they had continued to pose a significant risk,” he said.

“With a number of restrictions eased this week, we are pleased to now resume the processing of COVID Management Plans for nightclubs that meet a certain set principles as a way for the industry to move towards being able to operate.

“The COVID Management Committee has agreed on these principles and will work through the applications to approve plans to ensure venues can operate in COVID safe way while maintaining the health and safety of South Australians.”