Unvaxxed facing total lockout or segregation at massive Qld auction
A leading real estate agent wants clarity on whether unvaccinated buyers can attend the nation’s biggest mass auction, which is happening soon in Queensland.
Property
Don't miss out on the headlines from Property. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Unvaccinated house hunters face being segregated or turned away from the biggest real estate auction on the Australian calendar under Queensland’s strict Covid regulations.
Already, the 30th staging of the all-day The Event, at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast on January 23, is being promoted as the biggest yet.
However, doubt remains over who will be allowed through the doors.
From December 17, proof of vaccination will be needed to enter a hotel and Ray White Surfers Paradise CEO Andrew Bell, who is also the organiser of The Event, says their venue falls under this category.
He hopes Queensland’s crackdown on unvaccinated attendees will be relaxed before the hammer comes down on the first lot.
“The event fits under the umbrella for the requirements of hotels and it also includes people just coming along to watch,” Mr Bell said.
“It’s hard, in late November, not knowing the circumstances in January to make a call now, but the only potential issue is that you can’t be in the room if you are unvaccinated.
“If they are allowed into the hotel area and not the venue, then we may be able to have a separate area for the unvaccinated and they can do their bidding by telephone.”
Policing Queensland’s vaccination policy at The Event would be a conundrum, Mr Bell said.
In January this year, the auction room was restricted to one person per 4 sqm, although it did not hinder the sales, with 115 properties changing hands for $116.8 million.
The last thing Mr Bell wants, he said, was a physical confrontation between attendees who refuse to follow the state’s guidelines and junior staff trying to enforce the rules.
“We are flexible and the unexpected can happen and the issue I have, is it our job to prevent someone walking in?” he said.
“We are not going to have one of our young staff trying to block people walking in although we will try to comply with the regulations.
“We have the flexibility of having a room just for the unvaccinated.”
The rules on refusing entry to unvaccinated buyers may also apply to midweek auctions held in private rooms, said Real Estate Institute of Queensland CEO Antonia Mercorella.
However, Ms Mercorella said the rules do not apply to open homes or on-site auctions.
“If you are holding multiple auctions on the one night and it’s an external venue, that’s the exception rather than the rule because in the majority of cases they are held on the property,” she said.
“I think it’s pretty clear that it doesn’t extend to open homes and auctions, so you can go to open homes without being vaccinated for buying or renting.
“The normal rules apply, so there is still going to be a QR code check-in and any restrictions on numbers within a property.”
Vendors, though, could still refuse entry to anyone who was unvaccinated, she said.
“The owners can impose whatever requirements they wish, it’s their prerogative and their instructions reign supreme,” Ms Mercorella said.
Ray White Queensland CEO Jason Andrew called on the state government for clarity around auctions, especially on the Gold Coast during the peak summer buying season.
“All of us want to ensure we have eyes wide open heading into a busy time especially around the Gold Coast in particular, so it’s important, as it’s the biggest time of year for those guys, clarity on the rules,” he said.
First look: New Coast shopping centre for surprise site
A long-empty site in a surprise location will be transformed into a retail showroom complex under fresh plans lodged with the council. FIND OUT WHERE
Revealed: How much rent you need to pay in every Qld suburb
Rents have increased again in 252 Queensland suburbs, reversing the brief downward trend recorded just three months ago. See how your suburb compares!