Businesses in the Riverina will face fines if they do not enforce the vaccine rules once the state begins to re-open, with one owner concerned his staff could face a backlash from the public.
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Penalties of $5000 have been announced for businesses that do not take "reasonable steps" to keep out unvaccinated customers.
Examples of this include having prominent signs stating requirements, Service NSW QR codes, staff checking vaccination status upon entry and only accepting valid forms of evidence of vaccination.
Wagga's Forum 6 Cinema manager Craig Lucas said businesses have to comply with the regulations, but it makes it complicated for owners and employees alike.
"All of a sudden, you are a bouncer," he said.
"I am worried about alienating customers and confrontation and causing aggravation."
Mr Lucas said the rules are not black and white, and it makes it harder to enforce when the government has announced greater freedoms for unvaccinated people from December 1.
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"What's the point? We are going to do this for six weeks and then throw it all out," he said.
"It's leaving me scratching my head, to be quite frank."
Serena Hardwick from the Wagga Business Chamber said the onus needs to be on the individual, not the business, to follow the rules.
She said the COVID check-ins and rules had added cost when businesses have a reduced income, and this is yet another expense.
"It's like any law; it's up to individuals to abide by it," Ms Hardwick said.
"I think it's a lot for any staff member to ensure compliance with this.
"It puts another training cost on it to teach a manner that's customer-focused ... I think it's a lot of responsibility for any business that has any employee."
Ms Hardwick said for businesses who abide by the regulations or for those who decide not to; it is polarising either way.
Right now, residents can show proof of their vaccination status through the Express Plus Medicare app, a digital wallet app on their phone or a paper certificate from the Australian Immunisation Register.
But work is underway to introduce an update to the Service NSW app that would allow customers to integrate their vaccine certificate onto it, allowing them to show proof of vaccination status at the same time that they check-in to a venue.
Integrating the vaccine certificate into the Service NSW app will be optional.
A spokesperson for Victor Dominello, the state minister for customer service, said testing between Service NSW and Services Australia is currently underway and is expected to take several weeks to complete.
This means it will not be ready by October 11, when the public health advice comes into effect.
"Service NSW is building a number of security measures in the app to help compliance officers and businesses with checking and validating a customer's vaccination status, including a NSW Waratah logo hologram and rotating QR codes, similar to the Digital Driver Licence," the spokesperson said.
"The Australian Immunisation Register falls under the Federal Government, so those with exemptions should contact Services Australia for advice on how to prove their vaccination status."
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