Stanthorpe Hair of Distinction hairdresser Jenni Herb locked out of Qld, can’t work

‘I won’t survive another 10 weeks’: The desperate Southern Downs business owner is pleading for change to ‘unfair’ exemption rules, saying living 10km from the border is costing her livelihood and risks her losing her salon for good.

Small business owner Jenni Herb is locked out of Queensland. Photo: Contributed

A Stanthorpe hairdresser locked out of Queensland is pleading for a change to border exemptions, fearing she will be forced to close her business for good if she can’t get back to work soon.

Hair of Distinction owner Jenni Herb lives in Tenterfield and just a mere 10km from the border, but operates her small business in Stanthorpe.

Hair of Distinction owner Jenni Herb. Photo: Contributed

Since the hard border closure between New South Wales and Queensland, Ms Herb has been locked out of the state, unable to work.

“This border lockdown is so unfair. I’m stuck here (in NSW), I have an apprentice who can’t go to work,” she said.

“I’m really desperate. I originally thought the lockdown was going to finish this week, but it’s going to go for another 10 weeks. I won’t survive another 10 weeks, I’ll be out of business.”

Ms Herb said she feels defeated and extremely frustrated that others can be declared essential worker and be granted exemptions to cross the border, but as a sole trader she cannot.

“I tried to get to work on the Tuesday and was turned around because I wasn’t deemed as essential, but all these people getting exemptions - council workers, Aldi and Woolies workers - can get an exemption and go over and I can’t,” she said.

“All I want to do is go to work.”

Hair of Distinction located in Stanthorpe. Photo: Contributed

Ms Herb said she relied only on earning money by operating her hairdressing salon and providing a service.

“I have not a cent to my name. Can’t pay mortgage, rent, wages and trying to get government help is (useless) because I am a sole trader,” she said.

“This is my only form of income, (my employees) will be out of a job at the end of the week if I can't get an exemption.

“I can’t afford to keep them there.”

Ms Herb said she risked losing the clientele base she built over her 14 years of operation.

“My business is going to other people, it’s gone out the door at a million miles an hour,” she said.

Front of Hair of Distinction in Stanthorpe. Photo: Madison Mifsud-Ure / Stanthorpe Border Post

Ms Herb said she has reached out to many government personnel pleading for them to change the exemption criteria.

“Open the border if it’s just for border people to go to work. Let the workers through to earn a living or bring back the border bubble,” she said.

“I’m not the only person in this, other people are in the same boat, people need to speak out and stand together to do something against the border shutdown killing people’s income.”

Originally published as Stanthorpe Hair of Distinction hairdresser Jenni Herb locked out of Qld, can’t work