NT only place with three-jab vax mandate and government silent on lifting the ban

Why can the unvaccinated drink in a pub and not work there?

THE Northern Territory will be the last Australian jurisdiction with far-reaching workplace vaccination mandates after the WA government announced the state’s restrictions will be lifted next week.

On Wednesday, WA Premier Mark McGowan announced workplace vaccinations would be lifted for all sectors, except health, on June 10.

The decision was made as WA’s booster vaccination rate hit 83.3 per cent on Monday according to the Australian Government’s Operation Covid Shield website.

At 77.5 per cent, the Territory’s booster vaccination rate is the nation’s third highest behind WA and ACT.

Faced with crippling labor shortages, the Territory’s hospitality sector has pleaded with the NT government to lift workplace vaccinations that restrict people who are not triple-jabbed from working.

Milestone Group director Jason Hanna said the vaccinations made no sense because while hospitality workers were required to be triple vaccinated, patrons are not.

“They’re working among us and living among us and the world doesn’t seem to have come to an end,” Mr Hanna told NT News earlier this week.

“How about the government consider that these people are roaming around brushing against everyone? Let’s give them a job instead of giving them a fine.”

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce has called on the government to lift mandates immediately.

“Any impact it was going to have on the overall booster rate has already occurred and while we’re watching the vaccination rate plateau, we continue to turn hardworking Territorians away when all they want to do is work and contribute,” Mr Bruce said.

He said backpackers were bemused they could work almost anywhere else in the country, yet couldn’t get a job in the Territory.

“With Supercars on June 17 the recruiting for event staff is happening right now,” Mr Bruce said.

“If government does lift the mandate, why are health teams still visiting businesses asking to see staff vaccination registers this week?

“It’s time for the NT to shift back to giving the public as much notice as possible rather than the hours of notice we have copped through the pandemic.”

Hospitality NT’s position is overwhelmingly supported by Territorians, with 69 per cent saying they wanted the vaccine mandate scrapped in an NT News poll.

Contacted yesterday, the NT government refused to commit to lifting the mandate.

Chief Minister and Health Minister Natasha Fyles said the government understood the challenges faced in the hospitality sector but gave no clues as to if or when the mandate would be lifted.

“The Territory Labor Government knows that local businesses and key industries are struggling to find workers,” she said.

“We are doing everything we can to get more people moving to the Territory and to fill workforce shortages. The Territory Labor Government is investing $12.8 million to fill critical skill shortages in the NT.

“However Covid-19 is part of our lives as we transition from the pandemic to the virus becoming endemic and we need to keep Territorians safe.

“We have proven that we are an agile government that makes swift decisions whenever we can.

“We will continue to listen to the health advice and adapt our mandates and CHO directions as required.

“The Territory Workforce Advisory Group is providing strategic advice to government to address skill shortages, as well as provide oversight for projects to be funded through the $3 million Flexible Workforce Initiative Fund.

“This group next meets in June.

“We will continue to work with employers and businesses across the Territory to support their workforce needs.”

Territorians overwhelmingly support lifting workplace mandates

TERRITORY retail business owners have shared their opinion on whether the Covid vaccine mandate should be removed.

Air Raid Records owner Ryan Sage said businesses had a responsibility to follow the mandate rules.

“I’ve got a responsibility to provide safety to the community and the public,” he said.

“If that means follow these guidelines, that’s what I do.”

Mr Sage said his employees had received their Covid vaccinations without hesitation.

“When Covid was a really important part of trading, everyone followed the rules and guidelines, and checked in,” he said.

“You’ve just got to follow the guidelines and the advice from professionals.

“I trust their advice.”

Delaney’s Country and Western Store owner Dwyn Delaney said his business and staff followed the mandate but could see both sides.

“We’ve been very lucky and everyone was on board, so we’ve all been vaccinated,” he said.

“I don’t know if it’s going to make any difference as of now because some of the people that walk in my shop haven’t been vaccinated.

“But my daughter is a nurse and you wouldn’t want to be a nurse on the frontline and not be vaccinated.”

Blooms The Chemist pharmacist manager Claire Ross said anyone concerned with the suitability of the Covid vaccine should seek guidance from a medical practitioner.

“(We) understand and respect that the decision to participate in the Covid-19 vaccination strategy is personal and individual,” she said.

“Blooms The Chemist encourages all Australians who can take part in the Covid-19 vaccination rollout to do so.”

NT hospitality bosses say workplace jab mandates ‘make no sense’ and want them abolished

KEY members of the NT’s hospitality sector want the Territory Government to lift the triple-jab workplace mandate.

The Milestone Group director and multiple-venue owner Jason Hanna said it made no sense that unvaccinated patrons could drink or dine in a pub and restaurant but then couldn’t work in the same premises.

“Why are we still penalising people who want to earn a living?” Mr Hanna said.

“They’re working among us and living among us and the world doesn’t seem to have come to an end.”

The Territory and Western Australian governments are the only two Australian jurisdictions where a triple-jab vaccination policy applies.

Lifting the mandate will help ease workforce issues in the Territory, says Jason Hanna, who owns several hospitality venues in the Top End. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

In the Territory, workers who come into contact with vulnerable people and are employed in a high-risk workplace had to be vaccinated by April 22 or face a $5000 fine.

Businesses can be fined $25,000 for employing them.

Workers in Western Australia must have a booster within a month of becoming eligible.

Hospitality workers in South Australia were never captured by the double-jab requirement.

But after mandates were challenged in court by police, new Premier Peter Malinauskas quietly lifted the requirement for double vaccinations after taking office in March.

Earlier this month, unvaccinated teachers and healthcare workers in the ACT were given the green light to return to work and in New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet in April lifted public health orders requiring workplace vaccination.

Mr Hanna, who owns seven hospo businesses in the Territory including Nirvana restaurant, said lifting the mandate would help ease workforce issues in the main centres.

“I’m getting a lot of inquiries coming in from people asking if mandates are still in because they need a job to support themselves and their families,” he said.

“How about the government consider that these people are roaming around brushing against everyone? Let’s give them a job instead of giving them a fine.

“I can hear when I’m talking to these people it is knocking around their mental health.

“Businesses need staff and they’re allowed to come in as a customer so why can’t they also work here?

“Covid has changed the face of the industry with people being forced to look at career changes and right now we need to look at all opportunities to fill those places.

There are no medical benefits from enforcing the booster mandate, says Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce. Picture: Che Chorley

“Leave politics and religion at home. These people are saying ‘I’d like that job but can you tell me if I am allowed to work? Is the mandate still in place?’

“I can’t believe we’re still doing this. I understand if they want to take a hard stand on those working with the most vulnerable but if you go to a market this weekend you’re walking among them. I can’t believe we’re still picking on the poor buggers.

“We have a new Prime Minister who says he wants to bring the country back together. Covid has been a very fracturing part of our recent history. One thing we can do is stop picking on them like they’re lepers.”

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said there were no medical benefits from enforcing the booster mandate.

“The time to remove mandates is now,” he said.

“Any impact it was going to have on the overall booster rate has already occurred and while we’re watching the vaccination rate plateau, we continue to turn hardworking Territorians away when all they want to do is work and contribute.

“The backpackers that are coming up are bemused they can work almost anywhere else in the country, they can party up here but they can’t get a job with us.

“We think the time is right for the new Fyles government to show how they are achieving a better outcome.”

Business Minister Paul Kirby said the government was talking to industry representatives.

“We’re in constant discussions with Hospitality NT and every business in the Northern Territory about access to more workforce,” Mr Kirby said.

“The vaccine mandates is something the Health Department, the Health Minister and the Chief Health Officer concentrate on.

“I know those are discussions ongoing at the moment. I absolutely know they know how important it is to Territory businesses to get them access to as much of a workforce as they can.”