Toowoomba venue Bar Wunder ordered to close for failing to comply with state government Covid rules
Staff from Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, as well as Toowoomba police, forced a Toowoomba venue to close. Now it can be revealed why. DETAILS:
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A Toowoomba venue that has railed against the state government’s Covid mandate has been shut down by the police.
From December 17 Covid-19 unvaccinated residents were restricted from entering hospitality and entertainment venues, with staff members at these venues required to ask all patrons aged 16 or older for proof of vaccination and to check in through the Check in Qld app.
On the first weekend of the mandate coming into effect, compliance officers from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation conducted a check on Bar Wunder, and found the venue in breach of the public health direction.
The venue was issued a $6892, and in a lengthy post on Facebook Bar Wunder owners claimed the “do not believe this a public health issue, but one of complete control headed towards tyranny”, vowing to fight against “segregation”.
Less than a week later Toowoomba police entered the venue on Thursday afternoon with a directive to close the venue due to failing to comply with the public health direction.
A small crowd gathered out the front of the venue as it was closed.
An OLGR spokesman said the state government’s public health directive required venues to undertake a number of activities in order to trade, which included “making all reasonable efforts to confirm patrons’ vaccination status”.
“The licensees of the business made it clear that they will continue not to comply with the Public Health Direction despite being advised of the consequences for failing to comply,” the spokesman said.
“The OLGR has now issued the business with a direction to the close the business until January 3, 2022 or until the business complies with the public health direction.
“OLGR will continue to monitor the compliance of licenced venues with Public Health Directions.”
Darling Downs District City Patrol Group Inspector Paul James said Toowoomba police were in support of OLGR staff at Bar Wunder when they issued the notice to close the business.
Inspector James said the owners of Bar Wunder had been given “every opportunity” to comply with the current public health laws, and that OLGR staff had the authority under the Public Health Act to issue written notices to close if hospitality businesses failed to comply with public health orders.
“It is unfortunate the situation has came to this when so many other businesses are also effected but doing their best in the circumstances,” Inspector James said.
Hours after they were given the notice to close their doors, Bar Wunder again took to Facebook to declare in a series of posts “we are just getting started”.
“We’re not fighting this crap just for our bar, but for freedom in general,” the post stated.
“The government is taking away your freedoms daily and promising to drip feed them back if you obey their ridiculous rules.
“We aren’t going to be complicit in allowing this tyrannical government to prevail.”
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Originally published as Toowoomba venue Bar Wunder ordered to close for failing to comply with state government Covid rules
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