Premier, we cannot be ‘all in this together’ until rule-breaking pubs and clubs are treated equally

It is time for the State Government to treat Brisbane nightclubs and pubs the same way those in country and regional Queensland have been treated. If they defy social distancing rules, they need to be punished, writes Kylie Lang.

HOW many Brisbane nightclubs have been fined for allowing patrons to brazenly defy social distancing rules?

Who would know, because no-one is telling, including the Premier, who seems to wish the issue would just go away.

As public outrage builds over perceived double standards – outback and regional pubs have been slugged with fines of close to $7000 a pop - Annastacia Palaszczuk has simply said police would be “speaking to” a number of city operators after disturbing images emerged of unregulated revelry last weekend and the one prior.

Cops to speak to nightclub operators as revellers ignore social distancing

People queue outside Prohibition nightclub in Fortitude Valley despite the State Government’s social distancing guidelines. Picture: John Gass

Ms Palaszczuk, who appeared noncommittal at a Monday press conference, said her “understanding” was that police officers were “concerned” and that if nightclubs breached their COVID-safe plans, there would be “consequences”.

Why the wait? This is the second weekend of blood-boiling behaviour, and why haven’t consequences included on-the-spot fines and the gung-ho enforcement of social distancing meted out on struggling pub owners in Western Queensland, and in Coolangatta?

DOUBLE STANDARDS: Anger builds over ‘unfair’ COVID fines

Moxy’s Rooftop Bar fined more than $6000 for breaching restrictions

Outside the Beat nightclub on Friday night. Picture: John Gass

It appears to be one rule for the city, another for the bush (where there have been, incidentally, zero cases of coronavirus).

Clearly, it is not enough to ask or expect people to do the right thing, and that includes the revellers themselves who were queuing closely in their hundreds outside some city venues while inside flocking to cordoned-off dance floors.

The idea, to quote Ms Palaszczuk, that “we’re all in this together” has lost any clout it might have had during the initial and toughest of lockdown restrictions.

People are in it for themselves.

When stage-three limits were eased on July 3, watering holes were overrun with patrons, prompting authorities to warn that establishments would be shut down if there was a repeat of the heaving dance floors of that first weekend.

Liquor and Gaming Commissioner Victoria Thomson emailed operators last week to advise the relaxing of restrictions was not a “return to business as usual”.

The only Queenslanders still allowed to dance

Fat lot of good that did.

No-one listened or could be bothered caring, and in a sense, who could blame them?

When people are permitted to get away with acting like selfish, irresponsible gits, they’ll continue to do so.

The Government must get serious about cracking down on potentially life-threatening free-for-alls and show the same vigour in the city as in the country.

We cannot be “all in this together”, Premier, unless everyone is treated equally.

Originally published as Premier, we cannot be ‘all in this together’ until rule-breaking pubs and clubs are treated equally