COVID-19 Management

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (12:06): I move:

That this council acknowledges—

1. The economic and financial impacts caused by COVID-19 are ongoing and long term;

2. Adelaide's CBD small businesses and staff, especially retail, hospitality venues and casual employees, have been and continue to be disproportionately affected by these impacts;

3. The Premier's rhetoric regarding the impact of COVID-19 on CBD small businesses and their staff has been dismissive and disrespectful and that the tills are not ringing;

4. The Marshall Liberal government was underprepared and overconfident when reopening our borders;

5. The Marshall Liberal government ignored advice from the Chief Public Health Officer that Omicron was a 'game changer' and not to open the borders;

6. The Marshall Liberal government's communication and messaging has been confusing and contradictory;

7. The combination of being unprepared, ignoring advice from the Chief Public Health Officer and poor communication from the Marshall Liberal government has created a perfect storm for CBD businesses and their staff, who have again been left bearing the costs of this 'shadow lockdown', reduced capacity and office workers being encouraged to work from home;

8. That 'shadow lockdowns', reduced capacity rules and work from home advice would not have had to be implemented if the government had been prepared, had taken the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer regarding Omicron or had communicated effectively with South Australians to ensure confidence; and

9. The financial hardship, stress and anxiety experienced by staff and small business owners since the reopening of South Australia's borders was avoidable and was caused directly by the mishandling and mixed messaging of the Marshall Liberal government.

The anger I heard from small business owners this week was overwhelming when it was revealed that the Premier was negotiating the rules that have restricted their businesses for so long, not on health advice, as he has been at pains to say, but instead to return for a more favourable discourse from Business SA and the AHA. Those business owners were right to be angry.

Business owners in the CBD have a right to be angry when they listen to the Premier declare 'the tills are ringing', while they contemplated how they were going to pay their rent, their staff, their suppliers after another week of a shadow lockdown caused by the mixed messaging and lack of preparation following the opening of our borders to Omicron. Terrible communication has been a hallmark of this government throughout the pandemic. They say one thing and then another, never clear and always a little bit like they are making it up on the run.

The Chair of the COVID-19 Response Committee, the Hon. Tammy Franks, has outlined in the chamber this week the findings of the most recent report from the committee. The witnesses we have heard from have shared with us the chaos, the cost and the stress caused by the confusing and inconsistent messaging and health advice that has been brought to the industry to work through. As one restaurant owner told me this week, 'We are not expecting to see our dining rooms full for a very long time.'

On the one hand, the Premier says that restrictions are easing and the city is safe. On the other hand, and on the same day, SA Health announces new close-contact sites, which were only hospitality venues. After not updating the list for weeks, how can the public feel safe coming to our venues, venues with strong COVID-safe practices and compliances, when they are hearing mixed messages like that: do not go to a hospitality venue.

Another hospitality venue owner asked why QR codes have been removed from retail but are maintained for hospitality. They feel that this sends the message that hospitality venues are unsafe, which will erode confidence in the industry again.

Since the first lockdown ended in 2020, all businesses, but especially CBD businesses, have been asking for the same thing: consistent messaging, a road map that is easy to understand and that there is a plan, and a confidence that the government really does have a plan and is not making it up on the run. I do not think this is too much to ask. I commend this motion to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee.