The Brightside forced to cancel free beer for vaccination initiative
A free beer initiative aimed at encouraging Brisbane residents to get vaccinated has been cancelled after a ‘stern’ phone call from government bureaucrats.
A popular Brisbane live music venue has been forced to cancel their free beer initiative to encourage Covid-19 vaccinations after the event was shut down by government officials.
The Brightside in Fortitude Valley had planned to offer two hours of free beer on Friday to encourage locals to get vaccinated, but it was cancelled shortly after a “stern” phone call.
After losing hundreds of shows to the pandemic, owner Noah Honeywill said a call on Tuesday from the Office of Liquor and Gaming put a halt to the plans.
“We just wanted to throw two hours of free beer on and encourage people to get the jab,” he said.
“We were told quite sternly that if we proceeded we were in breach of the liquor act and that we would be up for $14,000 in fines.”
Under Queensland’s Liquor Act 1992, licensee's or permit holders were not legally permitted to engage in practices that may encourage the rapid or excessive intake of alcohol and could not advertise the sale price of liquor for consumption outside of the premises.
But Mr Honeywill said the State Government should be backing events that encourage vaccinations.
“It seems like our Premier is saying one thing pushing for vaccines, and then essentially her employees aren’t up for it.”
“We explained that this is not about free beer, we don’t make any money from something like this, this is purely about pushing the narrative of vaccinations so we can open back up.”
A spokesman from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation said the advertisement of free beer was not permitted under the Liquor Act.
However, the spokesman for the regulator said The Brightside had been informed “the promotion could be run with appropriate controls but could not be advertised”.
“It is noted The Brightside has developed an alternative to the original promotion which both encourages vaccination and supports local artists who have done it tough during the pandemic,” he said.
“The Brightside and other businesses using innovative means to support their workers, associated businesses and the community are congratulated for their efforts.
“The OLGR is always available to assist venues with ensuring that their activities are undertaken in a way that achieves their desired outcomes whilst also being consistent with their legal obligations.”
Mr Honeywill said after productive talks with the Office Of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, The Brightside would now run a Jab Club every Friday from five to seven to “show some love” to people who have had the vaccine.
“We are all for getting the show back on the road and supporting our industry in what has been a shocking last year and half and at this stage the best thing we can do is get the Jab,” they wrote on social media.
“Entry will be for those that have received at least one jab and we will make available the ability to donate to Support Act which is a charity delivering crisis relief services to artists, crew and music workers during these unprecedented and hard times upon entry.”
It comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Therapeutic Goods Administration was “a bit heavy handed” when they shut down a free beer initiative at the Prince Albert Hotel in Melbourne last month.
“This is a national interest vaccine program and we will be making some changes to ensure that these good-hearted, good-natured initiatives (could continue),” Mr Morrison said in July.
In Perth The Windsor Hotel offered a free pint incentive in July for residents who got the jab, while in Sydney last month Hawkes Brewing Co gave the first 250 residents who could prove they had been vaccinated a free slab of beer.
