Toowoomba businesses beg for government support as Covid scares away customers

As the Omicron variant rips through the Toowoomba region and scares away people, businesses in the hospitality sector have urged state and federal governments to provide support.

Ben Whibley, co owner of the Tailgate Sports Bar finds it hard to calculate staffing levels in such a quiet period. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Toowoomba’s hospitality sector has pleaded with the city’s political leaders to push for more government support while Covid-19 rips through the region.

But it appears there will be little help in sight, as both the Federal and State Governments argue the nation must “return to normal”.

CBD cafes and restaurants are reporting significant reductions in trade as customers stay away from public areas due to the threat of the Omicron strain and the lack of rapid antigen testing kits for sale.

Tailgate Sports Bar co-owner Ben Whibley, who has seen a 50 per cent drop in customers in recent weeks, said many businesses like his faced cutting staff or even shutting down unless relief arrived.

“This is the worst it’s been since March 2020,” he said.

“It’s not the big restaurants that will die quickly — your small independent guys will have some trouble pretty soon.

“If there’s no help for them within weeks, they’ll be gone.

“There’s been no federal assistance or help, we’ve been left to fend for ourselves.”

Mr Whibley said a grant scheme similar to what was offered during the Brisbane lockdown last year would provide some relief.

Toowoomba Chamber CEO Todd Rohl said both levels of government needed to respond quickly with financial relief, arguing small businesses were facing the brunt of political decisions.

“What we need is for our local elected officials to publicly acknowledged the circumstances businesses are facing and to identify how they can support the business community,” he said.

“What we need is for the Toowoomba Regional Council, State Government and the Australian Government to public announce how they intend to support our business community, now.”

Garth Hamilton.

Groom MP Garth Hamilton said he had relayed the concerns to both Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison and would push for a new support scheme if problems persisted.

“It was discussed at the national cabinet, and they came with the view that it wasn’t the way forward,” he said.

“I’m deeply concerned about my local community, (but) this is a key transition phase where we’ve made some changes to how we manage it.”

Mr Hamilton said increasing access to RATs and changes to isolation requirements for key workers would improve consumer confidence.

Labor’s candidate for Groom, Gen Allpass, slammed the Federal Government’s handling of the pandemic, saying the “living with Covid” plan had been a failure so far.

“Despite knowing that rapid tests were a ‘critical part’ of opening up as far back as September, the Morrison Government did nothing to secure supplies until there was a national Covid testing crisis and we had empty shelves in pharmacies,” she said.

Queensland Small Business Minister Di Farmer said business support was a matter for the Federal Government at this stage.

“Since March 2020, we have supported small businesses with more than $500 million in grants,” she said.

“Scott Morrison’s national plan cut income support for Queensland workers hardest hit by Covid when our state reached 80 per cent vaccination.”