The licensee and employees of the self-proclaimed “freedom” Caledonian Hotel have been repeatedly fined and the pub now closed for breaching public health orders.
In a post on social media more than a week ago, the Singleton pub vowed to never give up fighting “the tyrants and evil that threaten our very own freedoms and liberties” and dubbed requiring patrons to show their vaccination status as tantamount to “segregation and discrimination”.
The post supported banners plastered across the front of the Hotel, championing a “Jab or No Jab All Welcome” policy.
These furthered the operator’s proclamation in early August that the venue is and would always be “open to everybody, regardless of religion, color [SIC], race, gender, sexual preference, beliefs, physical impairment, mental incapacity, age or medical condition”.
They elaborated on the argument in September, declaring the Caledonian Hotel would “abide by all law and will never discriminate against anyone” – under the doctrines of the Australian constitution of 1901.
The statements have held no sway with authorities.
It is also worth noting the Australian Constitution does not contain protections against racial discrimination, and that Parliament has the power to suspend any existing statutory protections.
Australia’s constitution does not contain a ‘bill of rights’ but does specify five explicit individual rights, being: the right to vote, protection against acquisition of property on unjust terms, the right to a trial by jury, freedom of religion, and prohibition of discrimination on the basis of State of residency.
Conversely, a liquor licence does actually specify necessary discrimination, on the basis of age, intoxication or unsocial behaviour.
The Hunter Valley pub oddly triumphs “United we stand, divided we fall – free Australia”, while not specifying from whom Australia needs to be freed.
Mere hours after its vow to not comply with mandated coronavirus vaccination requirements, police attended the premise and fined the licensee and an employee.
They were both issued $1,000 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINS) for being unvaccinated and present at a high-risk premise, and the licensee was issued a second PIN for ‘failing to take reasonable steps to ensure unvaccinated adults were not inside the business’.
Police returned the next day and a third PIN was issued to the licensee, and another two issued to staff members.
Police then returned on Saturday, serving an order to close immediately, until midnight Tuesday, 19 October, due to the repeated breaches.
“The closure follows a number of previous interactions with the licensee – a 57-year-old man – due to repeated and continued breaches of the Public Health Order by allegedly allowing – and not taking steps to prevent – unvaccinated people being at the premises,” said NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.
The next day (17 October) the pub posted another rallying cry, for the “millions standing up for Freedom” in ‘Choice … Movement … Speech … Work … Travel … and Expression’.
“The Cali never has and never will support segregation or discrimination.”
The bold statement has already garnered 1,900 comments, with some supporting their defiance while many others ridicule their behaviour, noting that to be vaccinated (or not) is also a choice, and not being forced upon people.
More than 92 per cent of eligible people in NSW have now received at least one dose of the vaccine, at least in part due to the incentives put in place, such as being able to return to public venues.
UPDATE – 20 OCTOBER
After repeated visits by authorities, issuing PINs to the licensee, staff and patrons, on Monday police issued a Court Attendance Notice to the licensee.
He has been charged with two counts of not complying with a noticed COVID-19 direction, and is due to front Singleton Local Court on 2 December.
These type of people are the reason we were shut for so long, they should be shut till dec 1st.