No vaxx pass, no beer, no fun, businesses enforce mandate

Venues across the Top End have celebrated customer compliance with the new vaccine pass mandate they have had to police.

UPDATE: NT businesses enforcing the vaccine pass are celebrating the overall compliance of Territorians who have visited their establishments but say there is still “that one per cent who make it difficult”.

Anyone visiting a licensed venue must provide proof of their vaccination status to enter under new NT government rules.

Berry Springs Tavern owner Ian Sloan said turning long-term customers away was the toughest part about the new legislation.

“If you have somebody who has been visiting for the last seven years but now can’t come in because they’re not double vaxxed … that’s not a pleasant conversation to have with somebody,” Mr Sloan said.

Berry Springs Tavern owner Ian Sloan. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

“But those are the rules and we just have to stick by the rules.”

Mr Sloan said it was only one or two people a day who would “fire up and argue with us”.

“I guess it’s in some way similar to refusing people who are intoxicated or underage,” he said.

“It is a similar process but just different and something that we’re not all used to.”

Mr Sloan said his younger staff members had been helping customers update their apps and uploading their vax certificates to their phones.

“Most people are double vaxxed but have struggled to put it on their phone so the staff have been helping people get their apps updated and getting it on their phone,” he said.

“Our staff have been doing the best they can in a difficult situation and trying to help customers where they can with the technology.

“They’ve been doing a great job.”

Darwin Turf Club and Silks Darwin chief executive Brad Morgan said customers visiting the club had been pleasant to deal with.

Silks Bar Tender Adesh pulling Pints Picture: Glenn Campbell

“Compliance among patrons has generally been excellent,” Mr Morgan said.

“Most people attending our venue have built up a rapport with staff and are considerate of the processes that must be followed.”

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce called out the NT government on the discrepancies with the recently introduced vaccine pass. “Why are only licensed venues being targeted with this enforcement and not other community interactions?” Mr Bruce said.

“Since when did hospitality become our Covid cops – the government needs to treat Covid risk equitably and announce when hospitality can leave lockout.”

Boatshed owner calls out new vaccine pass discrepancy

CAFES are scrambling to comply with the NT government’s latest vaccine pass mandate, with one licensed venue stopping selling alcohol in a futile effort to adhere to the rules.

Meanwhile others — including the Boatshed Coffee House in Cullen Bay that only has a partial liquor licence where booze can be sold after a certain time — are doing their best to comply and police the mandate.

Owner John Bonnin has been policing the vaccine pass but says he can’t see a difference in risk between licensed and unlicensed venues. “There’s no elevated risk attached to having a licence in the restaurant business,” Mr Bonnin said.

“Other businesses like a nightclub where there’s more close contact I suppose there is an argument but, again, why did we all get double-vaxxed?” In what is already his quietest season, Mr Bonnin said he had seen a loss of business of about 40 per cent.

“They’re (the government) trying to get a very small minority to get the needle at the expense of the vast majority and I find that wrong,” he said. Mr Bonnin said there were “very direct consequences” from enforcing hospitality businesses to police the vaccine pass mandate.

“Business generally has fallen off a cliff,” he said.

“Applying more rules and regulations to make it more difficult for the masses to get out and about is an impasse that we do not deserve”.

The Boat Shed in Cullen Bay Picture: Glenn Campbell

Mr Bonnin has been in the hospitality industry for 50 years but has “never worked so hard”. “Instead of heading towards retirement, I’m heading the other way – the world is in a very precarious space and there’s no choice but to work hard,” he said.

The NT News understands at least one business with a liquor licence has removed alcohol from their menu, in a futile attempt to be exempt from the mandate.

However, a spokesman for Chief Minister Michael Gunner said if a business removed alcohol from the menu but still held a liquor licence, they were still legally required to police the vaccine pass mandate. “If a business handed back its licence it would become exempt from the vaccine pass,” the spokesman said. “Any venue which holds a licence is required to abide by the vaccine pass direction at all times.” The spokesman said it was unlikely the contentious legislation would change. Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said the new legislation was a “mess”.

“Cafes are being discriminated against based on whether they hold a liquor licence or not and this has nothing to do with Covid risk,” Mr Bruce said. “The NT government needs to sort this mess out quickly — either all other similar risk activities are included or hospitality should leave lockout like the rest of the community.”

Bar owners speaks out about CHO directions

LICENSED hospitality businesses in the Territory have called for more “logic” behind the new vaccine pass mandate.

The mandate applies to pubs, clubs, cinemas. casinos and large events, but does not impact casual dining cafes that operate without a liquor licence.

Dom’s Bar & Lounge owner Dom Wundke said the discrepancy between licensed and unlicensed venues was nonsensical.

“There are no logical health explanations behind these decisions which makes me think it’s for political reasons, rather than for health reasons,” Mr Wundke said.

Territory business owners like Dom Wundke are calling for more government support. Picture: Glenn Campbell

With the industry already facing staffing shortages, he said it was going to suffer further because venues were now required to police the new vaccine pass system.

“There needs to be more support for us,” Mr Wundke said.

“You can go and play contact sports but you can’t go to the pub afterwards, how does that make any sense?”

In a press conference on Tuesday, deputy chief minister Nicole Manison said alcohol “definitely” increased the risk of community transmission.

“In any setting where you do add alcohol you do definitely increase the chance of risks,” she said.

NT Health was contacted for comment regarding evidence licensed venues were riskier than unlicensed venues.

In response they pointed to chief health officer Hugh Heggie’s statement that it was about balancing risks and a lot of cafes were outdoors.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce described the new legislation as “the perfect storm” and urged Territorians to continue to dine out.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce at Hotel Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley.

“Please don’t punish hard working hospitality businesses and their workers by staying away, they may not be here when you want to come back.”

Cafe 21 owners plea for change in CHO direction

A DARWIN cafe owner has issued a heartfelt plea for the Territory Government to remove the vaccine passport that came into force on Monday as well as the ongoing mask mandates that she says have had a “devastating” impact on hospitality businesses.

Cafe 21 owner Jenny Um said the government’s mandates wrongly targeted and unfairly hit cafes while retail, gyms and other businesses were not subject to a mask mandate.

While the government on Monday eased the Territory-wide lockout, masks must still be worn indoors.

Ms Um said the mask mandate had led to a sharp drop in the number of patrons visiting cafes and other eateries.

Jenny Um owner of Cafe 21 says her cafe business is being seriously affected by the mask mandate. Picture Julianne Osborne

She said masks led to turnover decreasing by about 50 per cent compared to the same time last year.

“People don’t like to wear masks at this temperature,” Ms Um said.

“The government should stop treating people like they’re imbeciles and give us the respect to run our own business at our own discretion and give us a bit of respect.

“Please don’t say you understand our situation and stop insulting us further by saying that because it’s rubbing salt into the wounds.

“We need to learn to live with this.”

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce is surveying members seeking a response to questions around the mask mandate’s impact.

“It’s showing there’s been a devastating decrease in trade over the New Year compared to the same time last year and government messaging insinuating you’re more likely to catch Covid through hospitality is unhelpful and false,” Mr Bruce said.

“The vast majority of people are getting Covid from the household or from visiting friends and family in a range of settings but its clear that from government messaging customers are staying away and that’s ripping the guts out of the industry.

“We need a definitive date for when hospo will exit lockouts like the rest of the rest community.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced the mask mandate on New Year’s Eve, just as Territorians and businesses were about to hit party mode.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

“I know the timing of the mandate is not ideal coming into New Year’s Eve, but the fact is tonight will be a social one, a night where people gather in large numbers,” Mr Gunner said just hours before festivities started on December 31.

“Unfortunately, that is why it’s important we act now.” There were 403 new cases of Covid-19 detected in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday night.

Originally published as No vaxx pass, no beer, no fun, businesses enforce mandate