{"id":311572,"date":"2021-12-17T19:11:14","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T09:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=311572"},"modified":"2021-12-17T19:15:29","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T09:15:29","slug":"mayor-asks-premier-to-reconsider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2021\/12\/17\/mayor-asks-premier-to-reconsider\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Asks Premier ‘To Reconsider’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Somerset Mayor Graeme Lehmann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

December 17, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Somerset Regional Council will request the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reconsider the COVID-19 restrictions which came into effect across Queensland on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncil is aware of the concerns of the business sector and our residents in general about the impact on our economy and the social fabric of our community,”\u00a0Mayor Graeme Lehmann said.<\/p>\n

“We share some of those concerns, particularly in relation to the mandates potentially being applied to community facilities such as Council owned libraries, customer service centres, halls or civic centres, swimming pools, gyms, showgrounds and recreational fields.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur worry is also that our community will become divided \u2013 and we are seeing signs of this already \u2013 which leads to segregation.<\/p>\n

“We understand the need to keep people safe from this virus and commend the Chief Health Officer and State Government for their work to date in this area.<\/p>\n

“We will comply with legislation, however we believe that the current measures will ultimately have a negative impact on communities like Somerset, which are still working hard to recover from the effects of drought, bushfires, floods and the pandemic.<\/p>\n

“Council will respectfully call on the State Premier to reconsider the December 17 mandates, due to the segregation becoming apparent in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayor Lehmann asked residents to remember that local businesses, and Council staff, should not be attacked for doing what is legally required of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDespite our personal views about these public safety measures, staff doing their jobs should not be targeted for abuse or have to endure bad behaviour as part of their workday. Council will not be tolerating any form of abuse towards staff, who are simply doing their jobs in difficult times,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Deputy Mayor Cr Helen Brieske noted the “Be Kind” campaign being taken up by many small businesses, particularly on social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we shouldn\u2019t need to be reminded to be kind when we are out and about doing our usual activities, these are difficult and uncertain times and many people are feeling stressed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnderstanding that the people greeting us at business counters or serving us in shops are friends, sisters, brothers, children and parents trying to navigate the situation just like the rest of us is worth remembering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Somerset Council says the\u00a0COVID-19 public health and social measures announced by the State Government last week presently only apply to Council-owned galleries, which in the Somerset Region includes The Condensery at Toogoolawah and Glen Rock Galley at Esk with only vaccinated people\u00a0able to enter.<\/p>\n

Council-owned libraries, customer service centres, recreation grounds and swimming pools remain unimpacted.<\/p>\n

However, several local government services remain under review and may be impacted, including showgrounds and the Somerset Civic Centre, which Council is working through with the State Government.<\/p>\n