March 28, 2022
South Burnett Regional Council will join a protest led by the Queensland Chamber of Agricultural Shows (QCAS) against COVID-19 restrictions placed on ag shows by the State Government.
Under a Queensland Health directive for agricultural shows, only fully vaccinated visitors, staff, volunteers and people with exemptions were allowed on site, putting vulnerable volunteers in the firing line of angry visitors.
The directive has led to QCAS warning many shows are now at risk of folding unless the directive is lifted.
So far this year several of the South Burnett’s agricultural shows have had to be postponed due to a lack of volunteers because of the directive.
And at the recent Goomeri Show, Show Society president David Pitstock and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien both blasted the “unfairness” of the mandate, which applies to ag shows but not to other events held at the region’s showgrounds.
At last week’s General Meeting, Councillors voted unanimously to write to Deputy Premier Steven Miles, Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard and the Queensland Local Government Association to protest against the mandate.
They will ask that Show Societies be treated equally to all other events and activities that are conducted on a showground or – failing this – that the State Government establish an attendance cap similar to stadiums where there are no vaccination requirements.
The motion was moved by Cr Kathy Duff and seconded by Cr Danita Potter.
Cr Duff said the mandate was a “very important issue” for show societies, and had caused issues at the recent Proston Show.
Not only had Proston Show Society been forced to pay for a security guard to check vaccination status at the gate, but limiting attendance to fully vaccinated patrons had also caused division in the community.
Cr Duff said the insanity of the mandate was illustrated when the same showgrounds facility had hosted Proston’s Golden Spurs Campdraft just two weeks later.
This three-day event drew an equivalent number of people, but the same restrictions did not apply.
Cr Danita Potter agreed, noting the State Government allowed up to 5000 people to see a sporting event in a stadium, yet demanded 300 guests attending a local ag show had to be fully vaccinated.
“This (mandate) is killing country shows,” Cr Potter said.
Cr Scott Henschen said he fully agreed with both Cr Duff and Cr Potter, and thought the mandate made no sense.
The motion to join the protest was carried unanimously.
- Related article: Goomeri Loves A Local Show
