MURRAY Downs Golf and Country Club chief executive Greg Roberts says the changes to close contact rules will go a long way for the business, but said winter needed to be approached with caution.
He said the most significant change for the business was that close contacts no longer needed to quarantine.
“At any given time we have had as many as 20 to 25 per cent of our workforce unable to work due to COVID or being a close contact,” Mr Roberts told The Guardian.
“The removal of the requirement for close contacts to quarantine is an important step in assisting venues to keep staff at work.
“We will, of course, be asking all our staff to be vigilant in monitoring symptoms and they will have to test negative to a rapid antigen test before they can come to work.”
Mr Roberts said it was a big relief the vaccinated economy was now scrapped, including check-ins with QR codes.
“The confusion between the different rules in NSW and Victoria has caused distress for our patrons and our staff,” he said.
“It is important that our community is able to function with the same rules whether you are visiting the Murray Downs Club or the Swan Hill Club or Spoons Riverside.
“This will be significantly easier for our patrons and we will be able to reposition our staff in service areas rather than acting as ‘rule enforcers’ at the front door.”
The removal of the mandate for staff to wear masks would be welcomed by almost all staff, Mr Roberts said.
“We do still have some staff who prefer to wear a mask and we will continue to support their choice but the vast majority will welcome the removal of the requirement to wear masks,” he said.
“We can get back to seeing smiling faces.”
Mr Roberts said the club was “slowly coming back”, but it still had a long way to go across all three venues.
“Some sectors are performing well and other are taking a little more time, but we are confident that we can look to the future with some optimism,” he said.
“The State Government in Victoria has taken too long to reduce the restrictions to match what the NSW Government had implemented.
“This has resulted in significant confusion and frustration along the border communities and been difficult for our staff and patrons.
“There is still some genuine concern that whilst we have progressed now, it could all change again in the depths of winter if COVID returns with vigour.
“I sincerely hope that lockdowns and closures will be history but we enter winter with caution.”
