Gold Coast police reveal how they will enforce new mandate banning unvaccinated from hospitality, entertainment venues

Extra police are ready to patrol for the unvaccinated at city hospitality and entertainment venues - here’s how they’ll enforce the controversial mandates.

Extra police are ready to patrol for the unvaccinated at hospitality and entertainment venues but Mayor Tom Tate says businesses themselves shouldn’t have to be “Covid cops”.

From 5am Friday, patrons are required to show proof of double Covid vaccination to “non-essential” businesses. Those who don’t comply could be fined $1378.50.

Mr Tate said the responsibility to police mandates shouldn’t fall into the laps of venue owners and staff.

“I don’t believe it is fair hospitality operators and other small business traders have to be Covid cops,” Mr Tate said.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“They are busy enough running their venues but at the same time, we must all abide by the state government law and that currently requires Covid checks.”

With Queensland tipped to reach its 90 per cent double vaccination rate in January, Mr Tate believes mandates should be“softened.”

“At 95 per cent, unvaccinated residents will be in the true minority. The best advice I have is to get vaccinated and to have your booster. That is true pro-choice and best way to protect yourself and your family.’’

Police Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said more officers would be on the beat in coming days, operating from 7am to 10pm to “respond to not only calls for service around business compliance activities, but (also) looking at completing randomised patrols and inspections of premises”.

Supt Wildman said while most would be up to date with the rules there could be initial challenges as people adapted.

“For us it’s very much around education initially trying to get people and businesses up to speed, and trying to assist with any advice managing difficult people, or providing advice to what that might look like for them,” he said.

Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Supt Wildman said with interstate visitors needing to be double jabbed, and the Coast at an 80 per vaccination rate, he did not expect too many confrontations.

“We know the vaccination levels are really high, the risk of confrontation is really low … and that’s based on experience from our interstate counterparts who’ve gone down a similar path.

“I spoke to my counterpart in Northern NSW, and they said they really didn’t see much of an increase in their calls for service around this particular issue and it evened out after a week or so.

“It’s only in the initial few days that there are any real challenges and there are always individuals that may decide to attempt to provoke a particular response to get their viewpoint across. Those individuals will obviously be dealt with through the policing side if we’re called upon.

“The community will get used to checking in, businesses will just take it in their stride, and there will be less and less issues.”

Supt Wildman said licensed premises – already dealing with similar compliance under the liquor act – would experience fewer issues, and the greater risk could occur in venues such as cafes and restaurants.

Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek said “across the small business sector there’ll just be mass confusion, and responsibility slipped from government to small business proprietors who have got better things to do”.

“(We need) a clear set of guidelines given to everyone across the board in tourism, in travel, in small business, in pubs and clubs so we all know exactly what it is that’s supposed to happen and who’s going to enforce it if it isn’t.”

Originally published as Gold Coast police reveal how they will enforce new mandate banning unvaccinated from hospitality, entertainment venues