Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi opposes Premier’s unvaxxed ban

The Southern Downs Mayor’s urgent plea to the State Government to reconsider restrictions for unvaccinated residents has sparked controversy and accusations of appeasing a vocal minority.

An urgent plea from Southern Downs Regional Council to the State Government to reconsider impending restrictions for unvaccinated residents has sparked controversy with accusations of pandering to the minority.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles confirmed on Wednesday that only those vaccinated against Covid would be able to enter pubs, restaurants, and other public venues from December 17.

The looming deadline spurred Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi to send a letter to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday, imploring her to re-evaluate the tough lockout.

Reading the letter aloud at the ordinary council meeting on Wednesday, Cr Pennisi cited an influx of community objections to the mandate as the reason behind his request.

“Many local governments are currently severely impacted with skill shortages and areas of concern that if restriction proceed as proposed, those LGAs such as ours will be detrimentally affected,” he said.

“As the number of fully vaccinated residents increases, is there a need for the planned level of mandates? Is there a risk that we are creating a divide within our communities based on vaccinations?

“Premier, I understand you have all Queenslanders’ welfare to consider and I appreciate the difficult task you have in navigating a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.

“However, as Mayor of Southern Downs and in listening to the feedback I’ve received, I respectfully ask consideration be given to the restrictions imposed when the state hits 80 per cent double-vaccinated.”

Cr Pennisi suggested mandatory face masks for unvaccinated residents as an alternative to the formal ban.

Deputy Mayor Ross Bartley was joined by councillors Andrew Gale, Stephen Tancred, and Marco Gliori in voicing support for the letter.

“It shows we’re thinking of everybody who has been double-vaccinated, unvaccinated, or otherwise,” Cr Bartley said.

“We’ve all received a lot of emails and were looking for some way to have a united response, and council, I think this is our united response.”

The proposal attracted fierce opposition from councillors Jo McNally and Sheryl Windle, who criticised Cr Pennisi for asking his fellow representatives for endorsement when he’d already sent the letter to the Premier.

“The community sentiment is a small proportion. As of yesterday, the Southern Downs is 89.3 per cent first vaccinated and 72 per cent fully vaccinated,” Cr McNally said.

“There’s a lot that have actually gone and done the right thing and got vaccinated. They had concerns, but they actually went and did the right thing for our community.”

“I know there’s probably a lot of business people who are happy with the mandate because they feel as though it’s protecting their business, and there’s people who are not,” Cr Windle said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has stood firm on her commitment to give vaccinated Queenslanders additional freedoms.. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“So there’s a cross-section of people, but we didn’t get the opportunity to consult those people or to hear their views before that was sent out.”

The letter was eventually endorsed by all councillors except for Crs McNally and Windle.

The Warwick community’s opinion on the upcoming mandate remains equally divided, with the growing vaccination rate contrasted by the residents vocally opposing the blanket ban.

“I don’t agree with people having their freedom of choice taken away,” Lisa Weatherley wrote online.

“No. The goal posts will continue to change and freedom’s short-lived. Look at what’s going on in Victoria,” Sue Woodrow agreed.

The State Government is yet to issue a response to SDRC.

It comes as Queensland creeps up to the 80 per cent threshold that will see the state’s borders finally reopen, giving long-awaited relief to border communities across the region.