Toowoomba police warn failing to comply with Covid mandates could risk superspreader event

With Covid cases reaching new records in Queensland, a Toowoomba top cop has warned that failing to comply with the new mandate could risk a superspreader event.

A Toowoomba top cop has warned that with Covid numbers rising across Queensland, and positive cases in the Darling Downs, breaches of the vaccination mandate run the risk of becoming a superspreader event.

Queensland has recorded 86 new cases of Covid overnight, including 79 locally acquired, the most recorded in a 24-hour period in Queensland since the pandemic started.

So far, three cases have been detected in the Darling Downs, with 59 people in the region issued a quarantine notice.

Compared to the thousands of cases being recorded in NSW and Victoria, Queensland’s case numbers are relatively minor but for Darling Downs District City Patrol Group Inspector Paul James, that’s the point of the vaccination mandate.

Inspector James said police would continue to conduct compliance checks at Toowoomba hospitality venues to ensure venues were abiding by the public health directions.

“That’s the whole idea of those provisions by the chief health officer, to prevent that sort of scenario (of a superspreader event),” he said.

“We’re very happy generally with the level of compliance.

“Inevitably when we have community transmission of Covid the standard of our contact tracing, facilitated by those checks, will help to reduce the spread of Covid.

“If we end up in a lockdown again we would be forced back to having businesses operating for essential purposes and hospitality is one of the first sectors that gets influenced by that, we lose recreational activities and we don’t want that.”

After publicly railing against the state government’s vaccine mandate, and copping a nearly $7000 fine because they “accept everyone equally”, Toowoomba venue Bar Wunder has vowed to keep up their fight against the so-called “tyranny”.

“To the few delightful citizens who have messaged us telling us we’re putting people’s health at risk – we beg to differ, so please continue going to your stadiums and shopping centres mixing with the great unwashed because you’ll clearly be safer there,” their latest post stated.

“To those of you who can see the madness in all of this – we bloody salute you!”

Bar Wunder has since become a lightning rod of support from a number of far-right figures, including Nationals MP George Christensen as well as a variety conspiracy theorists and anarchists calling for the overthrow of the Queensland Government.

Inspector James confirmed that police had been notified of abusive episodes from customers towards staff members enforcing the mask and vaccine rules.

“We have received reports about the poor behaviour by some customers in isolated cases and it appears they target the younger workers with their outbursts,” he said.

“Business owners and their staff have a responsibility to comply with the health directive, as do customers. Complying with those provisions allows them to trade in order to run their business and pay staff.

“The offences involved could range from a fine for Breaching a Public Health Direction of up to $1334.50, or being charged with trespass, public nuisance or assault.”

Originally published as Toowoomba police warn failing to comply with Covid mandates could risk superspreader event