Majority of Tasmanian businesses want vaccine passports introduced, TCCI survey shows

A new survey has found a majority of Tasmanian businesses support the introduction of vaccine passports in the state.

MOST Tasmanian businesses would support the introduction of vaccine passports before the borders to Victoria and New South Wales are reopened, a survey has found.

The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has gauged the mood of its members, asking them a series of questions regarding Covid restrictions and their effect on turnover.

The TCCI survey, obtained exclusively by the Sunday Tasmanian, recorded the sentiments of 178 respondents.

Asked if they would support Tasmania’s border restrictions being eased if visitors had a vaccine passport confirming they were fully vaccinated, 61.7 per cent said yes, while 38.3 per cent said no. Three respondents skipped the question.

It comes as debate rages over the concept of vaccine passports, which would give greater freedom of movement to those who have been administered two vaccine doses.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week publicly backed the idea, despite resistance from some Coalition MPs – including Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, who has raised concerns about potential civil liberties infringements.

An example of a vaccine passport. Image: Getty

TCCI chief executive Michael Bailey said border closures were hitting Tasmanian businesses hard.

“We can’t live in a bubble forever and we need to work out a sensible way forward that reopens the state, protects the community and supports our economy,” he said.

“We’re calling on the state government to consult with community and business groups to discuss the vaccine passport proposal and to bring the community with them as we work towards reopening our borders.

“We need a clear plan and we need it now.”

A Tasmanian government spokeswoman said the state was following the national recovery plan outlined by Mr Morrison and was working with Victoria and the Northern Territory on “a piece of work to provide advice to national cabinet on potential exemptions for fully vaccinated people”.

“We will also rely on our own specific Public Health advice, which has served us well and kept Tasmanians safe throughout the pandemic,” the spokeswoman said.

TCCI chief executive Michael Bailey.

Nearly half of all businesses surveyed by the TCCI – 46.6 per cent – said their turnover had fallen since the borders were closed to the key visitor markets of Victoria and NSW, while 25.3 per cent said they had had to cut jobs.

Asked if they would support a reintroduction of JobKeeper for the remainder of the interstate lockdowns, 69.5 per cent of the Tasmanian businesses surveyed said they would.

While 80.3 per cent of respondents rated the Tasmanian government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis as either ‘good’ or ‘very good’, 38.2 per cent felt the federal government’s handling of the situation had been either ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

On Friday, Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff announced that it would now be mandatory for all Tasmanian health workers to be vaccinated. Mona founder David Walsh has also issued an edict to museum staff telling them they too would be required to get jabbed.

Catholic Health Australia, the country’s peak advisory body for not-for-profit hospitals, has praised the Tasmanian government’s ruling on health workers, saying Victoria and Queensland should follow the state’s lead.

“We are calling on Victoria and Queensland to now follow Tasmania, WA and NSW,” Catholic Health Australia health policy director James Kemp said.

“Every day we delay is another day where patients are exposed to unnecessary risk.”

Originally published as Majority of Tasmanian businesses want vaccine passports introduced, TCCI survey shows