Don’t relax restrictions too early, warns Hospitality NT boss Alex Bruce

THE boss of the NT’s peak hospitality body has cautioned against reopening pubs and clubs too soon, saying businesses could be ‘pushed to the brink’ if restrictions are lifted prematurely

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce warns relaxing restrictions too soon could force the government to reverse its position down the line.

THE boss of the Northern Territory’s peak hospitality body has cautioned the government against reopening pubs and clubs too soon, saying businesses could be “pushed to the brink” if restrictions are lifted prematurely.

As the Chief Minister considers plans to ease restrictions in the NT by May, Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce warns relaxing them too soon could force the government to reverse its position down the line.

MORE NT CORONAVIRUS STORIES

Gunner to plan to ease restrictions by the end of the month

Territorians’ fury over ‘sudden’ deadline for tradie Home Improvement Scheme

Why NT businesses are yet to see cash from rescue package

“It is still early days and it is important that we get this right, but we need hope and light at the end of the tunnel,” Mr Bruce said.

“Opening up prematurely only to go through the trauma of having to stand down staff, have food and stock go to waste and shut down once again would push many more businesses to the brink and beyond.

“It is still too early to tell the toll this crisis has had on our industry in terms of businesses that may never recover and this picture continues to change given the support packages still being rolled out.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner is yet to elaborate on what restrictions will be lifted first but said it would be done the same way restrictions were scaled up in the past month.

On Friday, Health Minister Natasha Fyles foreshadowed the removal of a ban on non-urgent elective surgery in NT hospitals.

Elective surgeries for patients under category two and three have been “postponed” for about five weeks now, as urgent surgery continues for those in category one.

Amazing NT News subscription offer: Only $1 for first 28 days

“We will make a decision in the coming days around what surgeries, we can do safely, allowing for those preparations for coronavirus to stay,” Minister Fyles said.

“We will then make a decision … to do a blitz so to speak on elective surgery care for some of those people with non-urgent cases.”

Australian Medical Association NT president Rob Parker said he was aware of a patient with prostate cancer who had his surgery delayed due to the hospital restrictions.

“It’s so important people get elective surgery done because often the longer people delay surgery, what was a category two or three surgery becomes a category one,” Dr Parker said.