Maleny and Montville chambers of commerce have welcomed the decision to lift vaccine mandates for most industries from April 14.
Both chambers had only recently written to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urging her to change the rules that required patrons and staff at venues including cafes, bars and restaurants to prove they had been fully vaccinated.
They said the Covid Mandate and its unfair impact on our Hospitality sector be reviewed and repealed.
Less than a week later the decision was made to lift vaccination rules, with the Premier saying the rules had achieved the purpose of slowing the spread of Covid.
From April 14 most venues, including pubs, cafes, restaurants, theme parks, casinos, cinemas, showgrounds and galleries, will be open to the entire population regardless of vaccination status.
Member for Glass House, Andrew Powell, had also spoken in Parliament last week regarding the impact of Covid mandates on businesses and events such as country shows.
Maleny Commerce President, Spencer Shaw, said today: “We didn’t think it was going to happen, but at last we have a date.”
Montville Chamber of Commerce President, Shiralee Cooper, said: “The letters were in response to the ongoing difficulties faced by small businesses simply trying to run their cafes and restaurants.”
The Chambers, in alliance with Chamber of Commerce and Industry Qld (CCIQ), have the ability to advocate for such important issues with all levels of Government.
Both presidents said If you are in business, your voice is very important and while you may not achieve it on your own, being a part of a chamber gives strength to submissions. Spencer and Shiralee say “we listen to our members and we strive to represent them for positive outcomes”.