It will be illegal for people who aren't fully vaccinated against COVID to access Dubbo venues when NSW reopens at the 70 per cent double-dose mark, but small businesses are yet to learn what onus lies with them.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NSW Premier Gladys Bereijiklian said on Wednesday it would be law that anyone who had not had two doses could not go to a hospitality venue, ticketed event, or receive services like hairdressing.
But the government is yet to specify penalties, with Ms Berejiklian saying it was working "through the compliance issues right now".
She said there was an onus on the individual to be vaccinated, but beyond that it would "depend on the size of the business".
"We know that many small businesses are doing it tough, so we are going through that compliance regime right now to give enough notice to businesses before they open," she said.
"There's individual responsibility involved, as well as for larger institutions, for workplaces, for major events, you would expect some level of business involvement in that.
But obviously for smaller-sized businesses that is onerous, so we're looking at that whole regime and we'll make that public to give every business time.
- NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian
"But obviously for smaller-sized businesses that is onerous, so we're looking at that whole regime and we'll make that public to give every business time."
Last week the government released its reopening road map, which sets the path for businesses in the hospitality, retail and fitness industries to reopen from the Monday after NSW reaches the 70 per cent "double dose" milestone.
Businesses are wanting to open their doors again, among them regional hospitality group Harvest Hotels, which owns the Milestone at Dubbo.
Harvest Hotels director Fraser Haughton says they want to get back to some form of normality and do what they do best - "support the communities in which we operate and provide people with a great place to come and eat, drink and catch up with their mates".
"A plan that steps out how we can work towards being able to create these experiences for people is a step in the right direction and absolutely encouraging," he said.
But the extra compliance and restrictions were "confusing and tricky to navigate", he said.
"We want to remind people that it's not the hotel and its staff that has created these restrictions - it's government legislation that is entrenched in a public health order designed to keep us all safe.
"We don't want to be enforcing these restrictions or mandating vaccinations for our staff and patrons, but in order for us to operate our venues, we have to, and we will."
Dubbo hairdresser Jenny Hunt is "double-vaxxed" and ready to open as soon as she's given the green light, but has concerns about having to enforce the law.
"I was really starting to get stressed prior to lockdown, because we had to police the masking," she said.
"Like if they didn't have the masks on, we got fined $5000 and it was our fault.
"Where, why is it my fault, if they choose not to wear the mask... why is it me that cops the fine, the shutdown, whatever.
"Now that we have to do this vaccination thing, it's just kind of like 'that's not what small business signed up for'... and there are people out there who fight you on it, and that becomes a little stressful and unsettling at times, because it comes from the people you don't expect it to."
Miss Hunt said it would take away from the "friendly hairdresser visit" because they were policing the rule.
"I get that it's a protection mechanism, but it's a big call from a small business," she said.
LETTERS: Do you have something to say? We welcome your letters which may run in print and online.