Toowoomba venue Bar Wunder compares vaccine requirements to racial segregation

A popular Toowoomba bar’s controversial social media post compared disallowing unvaccinated people into venues with racial, sexual and gender segregation. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Bar Wunder owners Fiona Davis and Mark McElligot.

A Toowoomba venue has divided public opinion after sharing a controversial message about proposed vaccine rules in Queensland.

Ruthven Street venue Bar Wunder posted on its Facebook page last week, stating patrons will be welcome whether they were vaccinated or not.

“From December 17, the Queensland Government has announced that clubs, pubs and hotels will have a choice to let only vax’d (sic) people into their venues or continue to let everyone in, with tighter restrictions,” the post said.

“This is a lose for already struggling small businesses. Venues that allow only vax’d (sic) people in will have to hire staff to police this and be the target of a lot of rightful angst.

“Those of us who won’t be standing for this kind of segregation will have limitations placed on us in terms of how we operate.

“We have never supported discrimination of any kind and we don’t intend to start.”

But the post’s controversy didn’t end there, with the venue uploading a photo beside the post, that compared disallowing unvaccinated people into venues, with racial, gender and sexual segregation.

The post drew a mixture of opinions – some supportive and numerous critical.

Last month the State Government indicated hospitality venues that only serve vaccinated patrons would have eased restrictions once Queensland hit the 80 per cent vaccination target on December 17, but no specific details have yet formed part of the State Government’s vaccine plan.

Residents in New South Wales and Victoria are currently not allowed to enter hospitality venues if they are not fully vaccinated, unless it is for the purposes of takeaway.

The Chronicle contacted the owners of Bar Wunder and posed a series of questions, but they declined to provide answers.

“We aren’t interested in contributing to a mainstream media article that will inevitably be edited to support the government narrative and attempt to make us look bad,” co-owner Mark McElligott said.

“Sadly, the journalistic integrity of the mainstream media no longer exists, so why would we trust the mouthpiece for the 1%?

“If you wish to have a debate about how this came to be then drop in sometime.”

The questions the venue refused to answer included whether the venue believed it would be putting patrons at risk, and how they felt about people who believed the comparison they had made was offensive.

Mr McElligott also declined to comment about a $30,000 grant the venue was awarded to support live music venues impacted by the pandemic.

Originally published as Toowoomba venue Bar Wunder compares vaccine requirements to racial segregation