Queensland businesses plead with State Government to stop lockdowns

As club, pub and restaurant owners opened their doors after Queensland’s latest Covid-19 lockdown, they’ve called on the State Government to rule out further shutdowns that are costing tens of millions of dollars.

Battered Queensland businesses are pleading for no more devastating lockdowns after Deputy Premier Steven Miles raised hopes of an end to the sledgehammer approach to Covid control.

Many businesses were scrambling to reopen after being given just six hours notice of the lockdown’s ending.

Insisting they wanted to gather as much information as possible, the government pushed back its press conference by 90 minutes to midday.

This is in stark contrast to the regular 8am announcements that were held during the height of the pandemic last year when upwards of 70 cases were being recorded daily.

Operators of pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes across Brisbane were relieved, but say the latest lockdown will still cost them tens of millions of dollars and are calling on the State Government to honour a veiled commitment to stop shutting down the state.

A pedestrian in Brisbane’s deserted Queen Street Mall during the latest lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Many businesses were scrambling to reopen amid the uncertainty and a two-hour delay in Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announcing that the lockdown would be lifted.

“There has to be a trigger point where we go back to living as normal a life as we possibly can,” a frustrated Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan said.

“We can’t keep hiding under our doonas any more – that’s not the answer. We’ve got to get out and live.”

Mr Miles told a media conference on Saturday that this could be the last lockdown if Queenslanders did the right thing by wearing masks, checking in at venues and getting tested for the virus.

“There are three things that will keep us out of lockdown – masks, QR codes and testing,” he said.

“If we can keep those up for 13 days, we can avoid another lockdown. Hopefully this will be our last one.”

Mr Hogan said the previous three-day lockdown in March had cost the QHA’s Brisbane members alone an estimated $100 million so the latest lockdown would be more damaging.

“We’ve been saying for some time that these snap lockdowns are not the best policy response because business just can’t keep talking shock after shock when we don’t have any reserves to fight back,” he said.

“It’s a joy for our industry to hear that this could be a turning point.”

Claudia McNaughton, 23, from West End using the Queensland Government check-in app on Saturday. Picture: David Clark

Mr Hogan said clear vaccination targets were needed and backed the State Government’s push for every Queensland business to use the Queensland check-in app.

Clubs Queensland CEO Kelly Egan said clubs were suffering six-figure losses every time there was a lockdown, losing tens of thousands of dollars on wasted food and staff wages.

“The larger community clubs have to throw out $6000 to $8000 worth of produce in these lockdowns and pay up to $13,000 in wages,” he said.

“This is the third lockdown in six months and the impact will be significant.”

Mr Egan said the continual lockdowns also smashed consumer confidence, with figures showing club turnover plunging up to 30 per cent in the week after reopening.

He said fact that many patrons were older, and also had to wear masks, would also hurt clubs despite the lifting of the latest lockdown.

Mr Egan said the delay in announcing the end of the lockdown gave hospitality businesses only hours to reopen and “it would have been better if we’d have known a bit earlier in the day”.

“We’re really respectful of the fact that the right and latest information needs to be provided but any planning advice we can get in advance would certainly be welcome,” he said.

“The biggest issue is that we’re dealing with the unknown. Everyone in the industry is supportive of the health directions but if this (pandemic) doesn’t go away, what do we do? How are we moving forward?”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles on Saturday said Queensland could have emerged from its final lockdown. Picture: John Gass

Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry spokesman Travis Groves said while the lifting of the lockdown was positive news, it left little time for businesses relying on Saturday night trade to reopen.

“We also know the impacts of lockdown to businesses last longer than just the three days they may be forced to close,” he said.

“That’s why we’ve been calling for a COVID-19 Hotspot Recovery package to support lockdown-impacted businesses to maintain business operations and continue supporting their staff, both as means to compensate for their losses and also provide some future certainty for potential lockdowns.”

Mr Groves said business needed clear information on lockdowns, restrictions and contract tracing.

“This is the third Queensland lockdown this year and the second without JobKeeper or any other support,” he said.

“It’s important for businesses to have confidence in their future ability to run their business and pay their staff.

“The government needs to provide businesses with the much-needed certainty about future lockdowns and clearer communications around decisions made on restrictions.”