Outback pubs fined over COVID-19 breaches: ‘We may lose the only pub in town due to this’
The owner of a Queensland pub - the only one in its town - says she may be forced to close up for good after being hit with a massive coronavirus fine.
QLD News
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THE owner of a pub slapped with a huge fine for breaching COVID-19 restrictions says she fears it will mean the end for the long-running establishment.
Outrage after southwest pub slapped with $7k COVID-19 fines
Samantha Senescall, owner of The Federal Hotel at Wallumbilla, east of Roma, says the pub, which was already struggling because of the coronavirus shutdown, might be forced into bankruptcy if she has to pay the $6672 fine.
“We truly may lose the only pub in town due to this,” Ms Senescall said.
“I financially will not recover from this.”
Other regional pubs, including The Commonwealth Hotel and Royal on Ninety-Nine in Roma and the Injune Hotel were also slapped with fines after breaching COVID-19 public health directives.
National Party deputy leader David Littleproud has called for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to give leniency to struggling outback pubs.
Mr Littleproud has written to the premier asking her to reconsider the $6672 infringement notice handed to four southwest pubs during the weekend.
Several publicans have spoken out calling the fines a “complete joke” and calling out the double standards of allowing massive protests, but being heavy handed when dealing with small businesses.
Mr Littleproud said there were clear double standards when enforcing COVID-19 restrictions with thousands allowed to congregate for protests last month.
“I respect the police are simply doing their job but my concern is that pubs have been doing it tough through COVID-19 shutdown and this could be the final straw for some of them if the fines aren’t waived,” he said.
Mr Littleproud said the police are simply enforcing the laws the state government has given them.
“It’s the state government that needs to fix this,” he said.
“I’ll write to the premier to ask her to reconsider the fines, but ultimately it’s her decision.”
Originally published as Outback pubs fined over COVID-19 breaches: ‘We may lose the only pub in town due to this’