Toowoomba police praise businesses for complying with new Queensland Government Covid rules

Two weeks into new mandates and restrictions for the unvaccinated, Toowoomba police have revealed the level of compliance across the city’s business community.

The efforts of Toowoomba businesses in abiding by the new Covid rules have been praised by police, with no further fines issued for infringing the public health directions since the first weekend they came into effect.

Darling Downs Police District Acting Superintendent Paul James said police were active in the community conducting checks on businesses to ensure they were following the latest public health directions, issued by the state government on December 17.

QR codes and masks in the Toowoomba CBD as Covid case numbers increase, Thursday, December 30, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Acting Superintendent James said businesses were generally compliant or trying their best to be compliant with the new laws.

“We’ve had a couple of calls from people and conducted a few checks on retail businesses, but there’s been no infringement notices issued in the past week,” he said.

“People are doing their best to do the right thing. We realise the laws are an imposition on places especially those businesses without a lot of staff, but everyone is generally trying their best.”

Acting Superintendent Paul James, Toowoomba Police. Monday, December 20, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Acting Superintendent James said mask compliance had been high across the city, with no fines issued so far.

“We’ve taken an education approach around masks, but we’re seeing that a lot of people are wearing them as required which is pleasing,” he said.

The one exception has been Toowoomba venue Bar Wunder, that was hit with a nearly $7000 fine and ordered to close by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation for more than a week, after failing to follow the new laws set down in the latest public health directions.