Revealed: How businesses are preparing for Covid-19 mandate

With the mandate less than 24 hours away, businesses across the region are preparing for the new measures and seeking clarification.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath (right) and Small Business Minister Di Farmer look at a sign informing patrons they must be vaccinated to enter the premises. Picture: Dan Peled (NCA NewsWire)

WITH the Queensland Government mandate fast approaching, businesses across the region are adapting to the new measures by exploring innovative approaches for running their business in this new way of life.

The Bakers Duck will roll out its takeaway-only concept today, allowing everyone in the community, regardless of their vaccination status, to purchase baked goods from the business.

Up until Christmas Eve, all customers will be able to access the venue and place their takeaway order once they have checked in using the Check In Queensland phone app.

And while some business owners have struggled to navigate their way through the new measures, The Bakers Duck owner Jeyan Chamanmah is taking the challenge head-on.

Mr Chamanmah said while it was clear what the new restrictions were, business owners still required clarity on how they would be enforced.

“There has also been a lot of commentary through community groups and media streams calling into question the legality of the mandate, which adds to confusion in the community,” he said.

“We took the step to seek rigorous, independent legal advice, which did confirm the legality of this mandate and our obligations as a hospitality business – we then made a conscious choice to adjust our operation so that we could trade within the law and without compromising customers’ access to our venue.”

It’s not the first time the business has implemented a takeaway-only option, removing indoor dining tables and chairs in 2019 when the first cases of Covid were first reported worldwide.

The business owner said while he believed public discourse was necessary for the advancement of society, he believed those opinions should be voiced in appropriate avenues, rather than confronting staff at local businesses.

He said having an “us against them mentality is never a useful tool for progress”.

“I’ve grown to love Toowoomba for its strong sense of community and would hope that intelligent conversations around these topics can occur without the need for confrontation – especially not towards your local cafe staff,” Mr Chamanmah said.

“We’re lucky to live in Toowoomba where our community is clever enough to know that cafe staff asking to see QR codes aren’t responsible for the mandates and shouldn’t be given a hard time.”

Closing on Christmas Eve, the business owner will assess options moving forward once the store reopens on January 8.

More than 2000 people have signed up to TAFE Queensland’s free Covid Safe for Business training program across the state.

The 45-minute online course, which is fully-funded by the State Government, is designed to provide business owners with a deeper understanding of the mandate restrictions and the tools to safeguard staff members and customers.

“Covid Safe for Business walks everyone through the rules for businesses and venues – what the new restrictions mean for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated people, how to collect people’s contact information, and how people can prove their vaccination status,” Minister for Employment and Small Businesses Di Farmer said.

“It also looks at how to tell when an interaction with a customer or client is becoming aggressive and how to de-escalate that situation, but I want to reiterate that business owners and their staff are not expected to act as police. 

“Commissioner (Katarina) Carroll has made clear Queensland Police stand ready to assist businesses with aggressive customers when required.

“If you are anti-vaccination, that is your choice. It does not give you the right to abuse businesses and their staff who have really borne the brunt of COVID-19 in the last 18 months or more.”

For more information or to enrol, visit tafeqld.edu.au.