Some business owners at Dubbo are "over a barrel" as they weigh up whether to reopen or hold off when the state reaches the 70 per cent double-dose vaccination mark, the city's chamber of commerce chief says.
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Under the state government's road map the businesses will be able to reopen when 70 per cent of eligible residents are completely vaccinated - but only people who have had two jabs will be able to attend restaurants, shops, pubs and other places included in the plan.
Chamber president Matt Wright reported of concern among members of the business community about the cost of enforcing the rules - including potentially employing extra staff and security - and navigating issues if some employees chose not to get the jab.
But business owners also feared losing government payments helping to keep them afloat if they held off from opening until the state reached 80 per cent double-dose vaccination, he said.
"The issue we've got is the non-essential businesses who choose to not open because they want to protect their staff or themselves or their customers, if they choose not to open, the danger is as well at that period of time if they choose to make that decision, they may also lose their COVID stimulus money as well," he said.
"So that's a concern we have as well, so unfortunately because they've got the opportunity to open, and because they've got the opportunity to trade, the government believes that they have an opportunity to earn some money.
If they choose not to [reopen]... unfortunately they won't receive their COVID stimulus money.
- Chamber president Matt Wright
"If they choose not to, that's a decision they make and unfortunately they won't receive their COVID stimulus money.
"[They are] Over a bit of a barrel really, what do you do, as a business owner.
"I'm sure there's plenty of them, they are as keen as mustard to open up their front doors, for their own mental wellbeing and that of their employees as well, to get them out of lockdown, get them back into the premises and serving customers which is what they pray for again, sooner rather than later."
The Daily Liberal invited a response from the office of Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope.
The NSW government had committed about $8 billion in COVID-19 support measures including the JobSaver payment and the Micro-business Grant, which had been critical in providing cash flow support to businesses impacted by lockdowns across NSW, a spokeswoman for the minister said.
The Daily Liberal understands the NSW treasurer will hand down an economic recovery plan in early October, and it will start with measures that work alongside the easing of restrictions contained in the state's roadmap out of lockdown and build on the recovery initiatives announced in the budget earlier this year.
The government is yet to reveal what will happen when the state hits 80 per cent vaccination, but Ms Berejiklian has foreshadowed it will mean more freedoms and travel are reinstated.
It had not yet decided on the "challenging question" of when unvaccinated people would be able to take part in society, the premier said.
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