Wimmera business owners divided on COVID-19 identification rule

Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday that hospitality, accommodation, beauty and personal service businesses are now required to check whether customers are from metropolitan Melbourne.

Businesses that do not check face a $9,913 fine.

The new rule comes after an outbreak occurred in Kilmore, 60 kilometres north of Melbourne, when an essential traveller from Melbourne illegally had a sit-down meal at a cafe, spreading COVID-19 to two more people.

White Hart Hotel publican Bruce Hartigan said the new restrictions were "another burden" on publicans.

"We have enough rules and regulations that we already have to cipher through at the moment," he said.

"But in the end, we're just going to have to do it - I'll do whatever I have to do to stay open."

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Mr Hartigan said rather than having the onus rest on the head of venue owners, more should be done to stop people leaving Melbourne and coming into regional Victoria.

"Aren't they supposed to be stopping people from leaving Melbourne?" Mr Hartigan said.

"Just don't let them come out here in the first place."

Essential travellers are allowed to move between the two regions, but are not allowed to eat in at regional Victorian establishments, or utilise personal services.

Bull and Mouth publican Simon Mitchell was more direct in his assessment of the new rules.

Mr Mitchell told the Mail-Times, "my views on the rule changes would not be printable".

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Horsham Sports and Community Club's Glenn Carroll however was unconcerned by the new ruling.

He said the rule was simply an extension of guidelines already in place.

Mr Carroll said the Sports and Community Club had been checking customers' IDs and postcodes since the different rules for Melbourne and regional Victoria came into effect.

"It's about protecting our own communities. We've never wanted to put the community at risk," he said.

"If you look at the Kilmore situation, the cafe there, their contract tracing is great. But if they had have just asked the question in the first place, there would have been no problem.

"People have to ask, how would they feel if they allowed something like that to happen in our community?"

Mr Carroll however said he sympathised with business owners who were struggling to keep up with the constantly changing restrictions.

"It's tough for everyone at the moment. It is really hard work, there's no doubt about that," he said.

"But it's about trying to be responsible, and doing what is best for the community."

Cafe Jas owner Brad Koenig said he felt intrusive asking people for identification when they came to his Horsham cafe.

"It's pretty bloody hard to take the time to ask them," he said.

"It takes you away from your job, and you feel intrusive; it's like you're accusing them of something."

Mr Koenig said the near $10,000 fine was also a disproportionate penalty.

He said it created "another hurdle, and another worry" for already struggling business owners.

"That's a huge fine for a potentially honest mistake," he said.

In his statement on Sunday, Dan Andrews specified that customers who were deliberately misleading businesses would be punished.

"Regional businesses who do the right thing but are misled by someone intent on breaking the rules will not be fined under the changes," he said.

"Instead, individuals found deliberately ignoring the restrictions will risk a fine of $1,652. Melbournians who are found in regional Victoria without a valid reason face fines of up to $4,957."

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