Businesses have right to refuse entry to unvaccinated Aussies

As national cabinet meets to discuss restriction exemptions for vaccinated Australia, entering businesses could be one of them. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Businesses will be able to refuse entry to unvaccinated would-be customers, as national cabinet meets tomorrow to discuss restriction exemptions for immunised Australians once vaccination milestones have been reached.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday stressed that under existing property law, businesses had the right to deny entry to unvaccinated people.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it is legitimate for businesses to deny service to unvaccinated people. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

“That’s a legitimate thing for them to do. They’re doing that to protect their own workers, to protect their other clients,” he said.

“It’s got nothing to do with ideology, or these issues around liberty.

“We all believe in freedom, but we also believe in people being healthy.

“And the simple fact is, if you’re not vaccinated you present a greater health risk to yourself, to your family, to your community and others about you.”

Under existing laws, a business or a shop can refuse entry or service to any person, as long as they don’t breach anti-discrimination laws.

This would include if it was on the basis of race, age, gender or disability.

For example, restaurants are able to deny entry to customers who choose not meet dress codes as long as the rules apply equally to every one.

There is a separate debate over whether businesses can mandate staff be vaccinated, with the Fair Work Ombudsman indicating it will be “more likely” to be legal for workplaces such as

hotel quarantine, border control, health care and aged care.

Meanwhile, national cabinet is tomorrow expected to discuss potential exemption from restrictions the vaccinated Australians may be able to enjoy once jab rates reach 70-80 per cent.

While specific exemptions will likely be up to chief health officers, Doherty Institute modelling to be presented to national will help set out what exemptions should be considered.

Currently just 47.6 per cent of Queenslanders have had at least one dose of the vaccine, fewer than any other state or territory except WA.

Mr Morrison warned Queensland was lagging but says there is a sense of urgency that is necessary.

“Delta can strike Queensland and WA,” he told 2GB.

“The powers of the state government are not more powerful than the Delta strain of the virus and they’re not more powerful than the vaccine.”

He said low case numbers in Queensland meant that people did not feel the same compulsion to get the jab as states like NSW and Victoria, but easing of restrictions from 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccination rates will give added incentive.

Queensland Labor senator Murray Watt said Mr Morrison was blaming Queenslanders for his own failures.

“The vaccine rollout is his job. Running a public information campaign, to beat vaccine hesitancy fuelled by his MPs is his job,” Senator Watt said.

The number of Queenslanders willing to get the Covid-19 jab is increasing, according to vaccine hesitancy research.

Melbourne Institute’s latest report card, to be released on Thursday, revealed vaccine hesitancy in the Sunshine State has dropped to a low of 22.8 per cent.

A month ago one in three Queenslanders were vaccine-hesitant.