Two local cafe owners have told a Mount Isa anti vaccine mandate meeting they may be forced to close their doors on December 17.
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Annika Roberts, owner of Bambino's cafe and Katrina Gall, owner of the Xtra Mile both say the looming Queensland vax mandate will negatively affect their businesses and may even cause them to shut their doors.
From December 17 unvaccinated people will be banned from all state venues such as restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, theatres, cinemas and sporting venues.
Ms Roberts said her business was already short-staffed and the mandate would cause them to lose more staff and customers, both vaxed and unvaxed.
"We're looking at changing our business model and doing take-away only," she said.
Ms Gall said she would have do some serious questioning whether to close down on December 17, not just losing unvaccinated staff on that date but also due to vaccinated staff not wanting to stand on the door enforcing the new rules.
The cafe owners want the Mount Isa City Council to send a letter to the state government opposing the mandate, similar to what Livingstone Regional Council (Yeppoon) has already done.
They will meet with the mayor and councillors on Wednesday to discuss.
Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade told the meeting the council was limited in what it could do as it was a state government matter and advised people to take the matter up with Robbie Katter as the local state member.
"(The message) needs to be in the minister's office or the premier's office," she said.
Police minister Mark Ryan defended the mandate when in Mount Isa last week saying it was a health and safety issue and employers had an obligation to have a safe workplace.
"There a lot of medical advice around the vaccination only venues and it's about protecting people, patrons and workers," Mr Ryan told the North West Star
"If staff have concerns, tell them to talk to their doctor and get vaccinated, that's the best way they can protect themselves," he said.
Member for Traeger Robbie Katter told the meeting the KAP was opposed to vaccine mandates.
"It's important to get your own medical advice and make a decision on that basis," Mr Katter said.
"But we feel strongly about the mandate and that has caused a lot of problems about where we are."
Meeting organiser and Buffs Club vice president Garth Apps said the Buffs would not be enforcing the mandate come December 17.
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