Clubs Queensland MEDIA RELEASE: Calls for fair approach to re-opening Community Clubs
Bowls Queensland are in complete accord with Clubs Queensland and continue with them to lobby to allow limited access to all our Affiliated clubs.
Clubs Queensland has called for a level playing field for the re-opening of hospitality venues as the state begins its recovery from COVID-19.
Clubs Queensland Acting CEO Daniel Nipperess said the state’s community clubs should be treated the same as restaurants and cafes, which have been mooted to re-open for customers in June in a first step for the hospitality industry.
Ahead of tomorrow’s important National Cabinet meeting, Mr Nipperess said Queenslanders should be allowed to return to their community clubs at the same time as restaurants and cafes unless health advice was released to show otherwise.
Queensland’s community clubs include sporting, returned services leagues, surf lifesaving, cultural, ethnic and special interests clubs.
“There are more than 860 not-for-profit clubs in Queensland that play a critical role in their communities in many ways,” Mr Nipperess said.
“Those community clubs should be provided with the same fair go as restaurants and cafes when it comes to re-opening for customers. What is the difference between people being allowed to gather in the confined spaces of restaurants or at a café in a busy shopping centre compared to a community club”
“If there is health advice that says otherwise, that advice should be publicly released so that Queenslanders can learn more about the steps to recovery.”
“We support proper social distancing, hygiene measures and acting all times in accordance with health advice but, one would think that if it’s safe for restaurants and cafes, then it’s safe for community clubs.”
“Clubs as licensees are already heavily regulated, so are also well positioned in terms of compliance with additional regulation around things such as social distancing and hygiene measures,” Mr Nipperess said.
Clubs Queensland has proactively drafted measures that would assist its members across the state in developing and enforcing strict health compliance measures for the safety of its patrons.
Mr Nipperess said the re-opening of community clubs was about more than the jobs of the 22,000 Queenslanders who work for the organisations, which collectively generate more than $2.2 billion of economic impact in the state each year.
“These clubs are also a meeting point for Queenslanders who rely on social interaction,” Mr Nipperess said.
“This interaction can be done with proper social distancing measures in place. But it’s an important consideration after so many weeks of social isolation for many Queenslanders. The chance to interact again with people is an important consideration in the need to provide a fair go for all hospitality venues at this time.
