Uncertainty around vaccine passport trial

THE vaccinated economy trials are set to start on Monday, however business owners and leaders are still unsure about how exactly it will work.

In late September the State Government announced Greater Bendigo will join five other regional areas in the trial, which allows for higher patron numbers at hospitality, beauty and tourist venues if all attendees are fully vaccinated.

City of Greater Bendigo CEO Craig Niemann said Bendigo was selected due to the region’s high vaccination rate and low case numbers,

“This is a great opportunity for those who want to participate to help inform a system that will likely be with us for some time,” he said.

“I hope businesses locally express interest in being part of the trial and the City of Greater Bendigo also looks forward to providing whatever assistance it can to ensure a good outcome for local businesses and our community as we work towards opening up.”

Chair of Bendigo Tourism and owner of The Dispensary Finn Vedelsby said while some businesses will jump at the opportunity for higher patron numbers, the trial could provide more challenges for staff.

“It’s hard to tell people no when you’re in an industry that’s trained you to say yes all your life,” he said.

“Nobody wants to be the person who discriminates and putting that onto the young people of the hospitality industry without proper training and a full understanding of what they might encounter, it really is a big challenge for business owners.”

It’s unclear yet whether the Service Victoria phone app will be used to provide vaccination confirmation.

Mr Vedelsby said making front of house staff, who already have to check identification of residence, to have to potentially check vaccination status as well puts more pressure on them.

“Money needs to be spent on proper courses, maybe some communication from Victoria Police as well to be able to support these kids and give them the training and therefore the confidence to do the job right without offending anyone,” he said.

While Mr Vedelsby venue The Dispensary can maintain operation with density limit of 10, he said other places that rely on hundreds of customers to stay open may find the trial beneficial.

“I think the trial will be successful for some of the hardest hit of us, who can’t trade with the limitations of having 10 people in the venue,” he said.

“We all want to comply to make sure that we can get through this, we’re all a bit fed up though and we want to do anything that will get our doors open and trading somewhere back to normal.

“It’ll be great for a business who installs this trial, if they were to have successful business because their density limits have been raised.”

Chair of Bendigo Health Bob Cameron said the trial will serve as a reminder that vaccination is the best way for people to be able to enjoy more freedoms.

“We already know that we’re going to have a vaccination economy for some time so it’s very important that if people want to be able to get out and about, that they do get vaxed… as soon as possible,” he said.

“But more importantly, they need to get vaxed for their own sake and everybody around them.”