The industry is supporting mandatory vaccinations and the introduction of vaccine passports to get the hospitality sector up and running again.
The Restaurant & Catering Association conducted a member-wide poll that found 63 per cent of pub, restaurant and cafe owners want to make the jab compulsory for workers.
“They have spoken loudly; businesses wanting the federal government to mandate vaccinations or businesses mandating vaccines for their employees,” R&CA CEO Wes Lambert told ABC.
“In many states, they are locked down and their businesses are in desperate situations. They just want their businesses to open and [to have] some stability; they can’t survive with these stop-start … lockdowns.”
55 per cent of surveyed participants also said they wanted the power to turn away unvaccinated guests.
However, Lambert said operators likely expressed a degree of hesitancy over checking the vaccine status of customers due to staff capacity and privacy/discriminatory issues.
Meanwhile, a social media post has been doing the rounds urging the introduction of a Green Pass model similar to what has rolled out in countries including France.
The passports would allow workers who have been vaccinated to return to the kitchen and see vaccinated guests dine in at venues once again.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed there will be “special rules” for vaccinated Australians, however it will likely be several months before they are released.
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