Retail body warns blanket rule on maximum customers in restaurants will keep some closed

The viability of new guidelines for easing coronavirus restrictions and kickstarting the economy has been questioned, with businesses saying it is not enough.

Restaurants will be allowed to reopen but with a maximum of 10 people.

BUSINESSES say they need more than a road map from the State Government as traders prepare to navigate tough restrictions to reopen their stores and restaurants.

The state’s peak business group yesterday welcomed the plan to reopen the state, describing it as a “line of sight”, but questioned how viable it will be for some businesses.

The plan came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his mission was to get people back into work, insisting the JobKeeper and JobSeeker programs were an economic lifeline at the height of the pandemic.

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Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland’s general manager of advocacy and public policy, Amanda Rohan, said the announcement was not enough on its own.

“What hasn’t been announced is any recovery stimulus to help businesses successfully reopen and stay open,” she said.

“There are still some very stringent restrictions in this plan, which we would question being viable for some business to operate in those conditions.

“It is pleasing to see regional areas given consideration, as Queensland is vast and not all areas have been impacted the same.

“Again, though, due to a lack of consultation, will those considerations be enough to support the viability of businesses in those areas?”

The Government has faced calls for more than a week to release a road map, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday saying the plan was a “great first start”.

“It’s been very much welcomed because many owners were saying to me that they did not expect to be opening so soon,” she said.

National Retail Association CEO Dominique Lamb.

“They can choose. They may not choose to open next week, but they may choose to open in two or three weeks.

“But this gives them some certainty around numbers and what’s actually required.”

National Retail Association CEO Dominique Lamb said the one-week notice to reopen was probably sufficient for many businesses, but there might be issues attracting workers back who were earning more on JobKeeper.

Ms Lamb said it was essential for the State Government to deliver a Budget to bolster the economy and ensure it succeeded during a “difficult time”.

The Government has already unveiled a $4 billion rescue package, which included $2.5 billion in assistance for businesses across the state.

Speaking after National Cabinet yesterday, Mr Morrison said people “don’t want to be on JobKeeper and JobSeeker”.

“They want to be in a job that’s paying them and t