Coronavirus-free towns just want it to end

Oberon residents could be forgiven for not understanding what all the COVID-19 fuss is about.

Oberon RSL general manager Peter Price in an empty bar. Picture: Adam Yip

On the western edge of the Blue Mountains, a two-hour drive from one of the largest coronavirus clusters in NSW, Oberon residents could be forgiven for not understanding what all the COVID-19 fuss is about.

The town has been completely untouched by the virus, and yet local businesses say they have been hit hard by strict restrictions.

General manager of the Oberon RSL Peter Price, shut the club’s doors in March in accordance with the state government’s public health order.

The club trialled a takeaway alcohol and bistro food service but it soon fizzled out with locals staying home. “Oberon has not had any cases at this stage so there are a lot of people in town thinking what are we doing, why are we all locked up?” he said.

A handful of the staff are eligible for the federal government’s wage subsidy payments, but some have missed out.

“It’s heartbreaking because we had one girl who’s been with us 12 days short of a year so we couldn’t help her,” he said.

“It’s sad to have to sit someone down and say we can’t help the rest of you, especially when it’s so difficult to get staff in small country towns.”

Health data shows the local government area in which Oberon falls has no cases of the virus. It is among thousands of towns across the nation to be spared. Two hours away, on the other side of the Blue Mountains, lies one of the state’s COVID-19 hotspots — Penrith. The area has 119 confirmed cases of the virus, the fourth-highest region in the state.

Mr Price said while he understood the restrictions, the hit to the local economy had been tough.

“It’s impacted us incredibly. No income whatsoever,” he said.

“I go up the street to do shopping and I always get stopped by people asking when we are reopening. I have to say it is up to the Prime Minister. So the frustration is in town.”

Mr Price said the club’s 350-person capacity auditorium meant it could reopen and practise social distancing.

“We’re lucky in that regard because a lot of the smaller clubs can’t do that.”

He said reopening the club for members only would allow the club to keep track of its patrons and contact-trace if necessary.

Oberon butcher and meat supplier Wayne Barker also supports a partial easing of restrictions.

“It would make sense to just keep the economy turning over if people abide by the distancing rules. Just a certain number of people, because we’re not a big town,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison backs reopening businesses, underscoring the importance of restarting the economy.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she does not want NSW to have to reverse restrictions if infections spike.