Kunara Marketplace, Health Beat and New Earth cafe defend staff seen working without masks during Covid-19 lockdown

Several well-known health food stores on the Sunshine Coast whose staff have been seen working without masks have defended their actions. Here is what they had to say.

Several well-known health food stores in the Sunshine Coast region have defended staff members who have been seen working without masks.

Staff at Kunara Marketplace in Forest Glen, Health Beat in Nambour and New Earth cafe in Coolum have been working without masks however they say they have “valid exemptions”.

The discovery has angered some customers.

“I was very disappointed to find five (Kunara) staff members and at least six customers without masks,” one customer who wished to stay anonymous said.

“On enquiry with the store manager, I was told that staff without masks had medical exemptions from wearing masks.

Staff and customers at Kunara Forest Glen allegedly seen without masks during the lockdown period. Picture: Supplied

“There are many of us vulnerable, 60 plus, needing to buy organic food to assist with health issues.”

A Kunara Marketplace spokeswoman said legally staff were not allowed to ask a customer what their medical exemption is to not wear a mask, and therefore they assumed anybody without a mask has an exemption.

“It is absolutely our store policy that all team members wear masks if they are not medically exempt,” she said.

“It is every individual’s responsibility to check in, socially distance, stay home if unwell, rest, eat well, remain calm, be a good human and wear a mask if possible.

“It is every individual’s responsibility to check in, socially distance, stay home if unwell, rest, eat well, remain calm, be a good human and wear a mask if possible.

Staff and customers at Kunara Forest Glen were allegedly seen without masks during the lockdown period. Picture Supplied

Staff at Nambour Plaza’s Health Beat food store have also been seen working without masks.

Health Beat owner and store manager Jodie Christensen told the Daily it was “their business” why her and her staff were not wearing masks.

She said they “ticked all the boxes” in relation to compliance with rules.

Staff at Nambour's Health Beat without masks on August 5.

The owner of Coolum’s New Earth cafe was arrested and fined for refusing to wear a mask last Friday.

The cafe owner was issued one infringement notice for fail to comply with chief health officer direction and given a $1378 fine, while an employee was given a fail to comply with Covid-19 direction with a fine of $206.

No charges were laid.

Following her arrest, New Earth’s Sarah Parsons posted a video on Facebook saying no one had broken the law.

I am sharing this with an open heart - Watch with eyes and minds wide open 💜

Posted by Kellie Stewart on Wednesday, August 4, 2021

“I don’t believe that I have done anything wrong, I don’t believe that I broke any laws,” she said.

“I believe I was arrested for not wearing a mask and not making my staff wear a mask … we all have valid medical exemptions.”

Queensland Health has urged people who are exempt from wearing masks to stay home during periods of mandatory mask wearing or lockdown until they are fully vaccinated.

“If you are an essential worker and you cannot wear a face mask due to a medical condition, you are strongly encouraged to stay at home and not go into your workplace, unless you are fully vaccinated,” the Queensland Health website said.

Last week, chief health officer Jeannette Young issued a desperate plea for Queenslanders to wear masks in public.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said police do regular patrols and speak with business owners and operators as part of Covid-19 compliance checks.

“To date, police have not issued any infringement notices to businesses in the Nambour or Forest Glen area.”

Originally published as Kunara Marketplace, Health Beat and New Earth cafe defend staff seen working without masks during Covid-19 lockdown