Labor supports the Tasmanian Hospitality Association campaign calling for the State Government to ease unnecessary restrictions on drinking alcohol while standing up in pubs and other hospitality venues.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said the Government's continued insistence that people must be seated at all times while drinking alcohol was inconsistent with the advice provided by public health experts in other states.
"The requirement from Peter Gutwein that everyone has to sit down to have a drink is having a hugely negative impact on the hospitality and events sector," Ms White said.
"The hospitality sector is seeing green shoots emerge but catering for events and functions is hampered by the rule that everyone needs to sit down to drink, let alone the impact it's having on pubs and clubs.
"Unfortunately we have heard workers in the hospitality sector are getting abused by patrons when they remind people of the rules and that is totally unacceptable.
"It's especially difficult for this policy position to be justified when people coming from interstate have been allowed to stand and drink in their home states from some time.
"The hospitality sector has suffered hugely from the coronavirus pandemic and the rule to sit down when drinking is making things worse for these businesses as they try to turn things around.
"One of the most sensible things the Government could do to support the hospitality sector and our community is to ensure the contact tracking and tracing procedure is standardised across venues, just like NSW.
"The government shouldn't be leaving venues with the burden of making things up as they go along. Clever, technology based solutions are available - the Government should roll them out immediately."
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
