Some businesses in the Bega Valley Shire are refusing to open their doors under new health orders that restrict entry to only those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including staff.
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Greg Evans from Bega vintage record store Sugar Sounds has decided to keep his doors closed on "principals of inclusivity".
"Its a simple choice to make for me. To be clear, I am not anti-vax. I simply cannot be a part of a two-tiered system where some folks have privileges and others not."
He understood that many businesses cannot afford to make the same decision and was respectful of any business choosing to operate.
While his customer-facing shopfront will not be open under current mandates, Mr Evans will operate online.
Business owner Mel Kean from Red Café in Bega has been left scratching her head over the new mandates and decided to close shop from Monday October 11.
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"I'm holding off because I'm not wanting to break the law and if this Public Health Order has been legislated to be lawful, I'm morally and ethically opposed to forcing my staff to be vaccinated.
"I don't believe I have any authority to mandate vaccines, that's a personal and ethical decision that each individual person can make."
She was also confused about liability if one of her staff had an adverse reaction.
"I'm under the impression it's us that have to foot that bill because industry and government are not prepared to take that responsibility, nor are the manufacturers."
Ms Kean had been in touch with NSW Health but experienced disconnections, being put on hold, inconclusive advice, incorrect information, and was "shunted from one person to the next".
Ms Kean felt equally about not "taking on the role of policing who comes into my shop," and felt it would be an "invasion of privacy".
"I don't want to stir any pots just for the sake of being a troublemaker, but I have my own values and ethics to abide by. I have to be able to live with these choices for the rest of my life," she said.
These businesses join a list of others who have expressed concerns about allowing some to enter and others not.
Bermagui's Boneless Café, Gulaga Organics, and Wyndham's Robbie Burns Hotel have also made public statements to keep customer-facing areas of their business closed until they can accommodate all on December 1.