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Business for Ending Lockdown notes with concern that the government continues to advocate for unnecessary and harmful restrictions on basic economic freedoms, civil liberties, trade, and commerce.  

While Lockdown Level 1 is less economically restrictive than Level 2, we believe that remaining restrictions continue to damage key sectors of the economy and leave many businesses unable to operate at their full potential or create desperately needed employment. This has negative knock-on effects on other sectors whether or not they are permitted to operate fully. 

We find specifically problematic the following features of Level 1 Lockdown: 

International travel remains restricted and comes with unnecessarily prohibitive health regulations for travellers which will curtail business travel and tourism. 

The alcohol industry remains hampered by the restriction on weekend trade. 

New rules on gatherings leave room for confusion, impose complex logistical restrictions, and remain prohibitive to religious gatherings and entertainment services. 

The maintenance of a curfew is an exercise in arbitrary control, restricts freedom of movement, and prohibits many nightlife and night-time services. 

The compelling of wearing masks, sanitising, and distancing imposes excessive inconveniences and frictions upon many businesses and serves to perpetuate a climate of fear and isolation which contributes to generally inhibited trading activity. 

The continuation of the state of disaster allows for arbitrary policy decisions which undermines investment certainty. 

The president's address unfortunately misrepresented the risks of Covid-19 and continued with the policy of mandating single risk management strategies for millions of different people in a complex society. 

B4EL continues to call on the government to end the lockdown, end the state of disaster, and convert Covid regulations into voluntary recommendations. 

Issued by Sakeliga