Council has met with the Police to discuss a handful of local businesses that are generating complaints from the public about their non-compliance with COVID-19 trading rules.

Chief Executive Clive Manley said that Council had been receiving a regular stream of complaints about a small number of businesses not following the rules.

“We have agreed with the Police that we will forward any complaints to them for follow-up.

While both Council and the Police want to see all our businesses open, we also want to ensure they adhere to their legal operating requirements under the traffic light system,” he said.

“Senior Sergeant Grant Alabaster said that all business owners need to understand what COVID-19 rules apply to them at every traffic light colour level and follow them.

Our collective approach is very much to work with our communities to support them to keep themselves safe.

Where complaints are received our initial focus will be on informing and educating, however if businesses persist in flouting their COVID-19 trading rules and put communities at risk prosecution will be considered," he said.

Mayor Cameron added that these businesses should note that it is clear from the feedback Council is getting that this is important to the vast majority of the community.

“Whatever this small number of business owners think about COVID-19 most people support the health response and the requirements that go with it.

In small communities like ours thumbing your nose at things the majority of people think are a reasonable thing to do given the circumstances is probably not good long-term business strategy.

We do recognise that the change to the traffic light system and new operating rules for different types of businesses has been confusing for some business operators.

Any business owner needing assistance in understanding what rules apply to them at the various traffic light levels is invited to call Council's Regulatory Team who are available to help,” he said.

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