COVID-19, SUPPORT PAYMENTS – QUESTION

Wednesday, 17 March                                                                                    House of Assembly                                                                                                   Page 4660

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (15:16): My question again is to the minister representing the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Can the minister update the house as to the compensation made to Bakers Delight in Port Pirie for loss of trade during the sudden three-day shutdown in November last year due to COVID-19 closures? With your leave, sir, I will explain to the house. 

 Leave granted.  

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: On 10 December I wrote a letter to the Hon. Rob Lucas, the Treasurer, and I quote:  

Under the restrictions Supermarkets were allowed to open and this operation is in the mall area opposite Coles providing a food product. From earlier reports there was no mention that Bakers were not allowed to open, in actual fact as can be seen from the highlighted area [the bakers were allowed to be open]…  

During the morning [Bakers Delight in Port Pirie] became aware of some Bakers Delight stores in Adelaide being told to close. There were variations to the information being advised and some were told to close and others operating with restricted hours…Of 43 Bakers Delight bakeries in the state, 15 were closed and the others allowed to trade. It appeared that Police [Officers] interpreted differently and therefore the approach was not uniform.  

The response on 21 December from the Treasurer was that that was referred to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing.  

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:17): I thank the member for the question for the Minister for Health. As is the usual practice, I will put the question as identified to the Minister for Health and bring back any particulars, as appropriate, in response to the house.