Friday 31 December, 2021
Less than 24hrs after a welcomed national consensus on the definition of a close contact, peak bodies the South Australian Business Chamber and the Australian Hotels Association are floored that South Australia’s Chief Public Health Officer has changed that decision.
The South Australian Business Chamber Chair Nikki Govan says that while she understands that public health decisions can be complicated, it is not acceptable for them to be so inconsistent and confusing.
“We have businesses trying to work out what is going on across a time when they should be relaxing with their families.
“When the Premier comes out yesterday following national cabinet and announces the new 4‑hour definition of a close contact, the last thing you expect is that an unelected official can change that and announce in a radio interview.
“Following this backflip by the South Australian Government, the financial support they are meant to be announcing today is even more critical.”
Australian Hotels Association Chief Executive Ian Horne said he is disappointed by this complete backflip.
“Yesterday’s national cabinet decision was sensible. It was consistent. And it gave hotels, pubs and clubs some reassurance that less of their staff would be sent into isolation having just been at work with a covid case entering.
“Disappointingly, it seems like our COVID-19 plan is being created during radio interviews now, and not by the Premier of South Australia.”
