NSW Freedom Day: Police play it calm to prevent great divide

As NSW celebrated its first day of freedom from lockdown, it also confronted its first day as a divided state: the vaccinated versus the ­unvaccinated.

NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello shows his Covid-19 vaccination certificate. Picture: Damian Shaw

As NSW celebrated its first day of freedom from lockdown, it also confronted its first day as a divided state: the vaccinated versus the ­unvaccinated.

Only the fully inoculated can enjoy the privileges that come with the easing of restrictions.

Most of the bigger retail outlets in Sydney on Monday had security at the door checking each customer’s vaccination status, but staff in many smaller shops were left to try to police the rules as best they could.

The exclusionary policy had been predicted to cause anger among anti-vaxxers but on Monday most of the hiccups around the new rules were caused by confusion about how customers would prove their vaccine status.

Delivery of the NSW government’s updated Covid app, which will allow people to check into ­venues and simultaneously verify their vaccination status, has been delayed by at least a week.

Until then, customers will have to show their vaccination certificate and also enter QR codes at every premises, a process that led to queues at some venues in Sydney on Monday.

Some business owners and workers in hospitality and retail, nervous about alienating unvaccinated customers, have opted to stay closed for another week as they work out how to open safely. Others are waiting until December 1, the date restrictions are expected to lift for the unvaccinated.

When The Australian went to sit down at a kebab shop in Bankstown, we were told we couldn’t eat inside. Tables and chairs were still stacked, and one worker said her boss had decided to not accept dine-in customers until at least December 1.

“It’s hard to turn a customer away if they’re not vaccinated,” she explained.

Police had earlier warned that NSW residents who were unvaccinated or had received only one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine would cop a large fine if they were caught trying to enjoy the full range of new freedoms in the state.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said police would be patrolling Greater Sydney and NSW ready to ticket rule breakers who were not double-dosed.

“I would ask that the premises owner or the person behind the counter call the police and make sure the police force respond to those calls,” Mr Fuller said.

“It’s a $1000 fine to be out ­unvaccinated in that type of new environment. We will be issuing fines.”

However, police appeared to be keeping a low profile during the teething stages of the vaccination requirements. On Monday night, The Australian observed a general duties police patrol walking through the crowded Royal Oak Hotel in Double Bay. The officers confirmed that security staff on the door were checking vaccination certificates but did not themselves check any patrons.

A NSW Police spokesperson said they had no statistics or instances of vaccination non-compliance incidents.