Village Books Waipapa owner Kaye Neely said she is tired of having 'awkward' conversations with people who enter her shop without a face mask. Photo / Jenny Ling
Village Books Waipapa owner Kaye Neely said she is tired of having 'awkward' conversations with people who enter her shop without a face mask. Photo / Jenny Ling
Northland retailers are calling time out on contradictory mask mandates, and are fed up trying to "police" those who refuse to wear them.
Businesses spoken to by the Northern Advocate say it makes no sense to be allowed to walk into a cafe or restaurant without a face covering, whilethey are still mandatory at retail shops and many other places.
Staff at hospitality venues must wear masks to defend against the spread of Covid-19, but customers no longer need to wear them.
"To have two classes of commerce out there seems silly," Tim Robinson from Bernina Northland said.
"You can sit in a restaurant for two hours beside people you don't know.
"If people want to wear a mask and feel it keeps them safe, perfect. But those who are triple jabbed, they're saying it's our choice now."
In the current orange setting, masks must be worn on domestic flights, public transport, in museums and libraries and when visiting a healthcare service such as a medical centre or aged-care facility.
Mask wearing is also mandatory in retail businesses including supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmacies, petrol stations and takeaway food stores.
People can apply for an exemption, but they are optional.
Northland retailers are fed up with contradictory mask mandates and having to 'police' those who refuse to wear them. Photo /supplied
Village Books Waipapa owner Kaye Neely said New Zealanders need more clarity and she wants the Government to readdress it "as it is not working".
Neely said she doesn't have a problem wearing a mask all day.
"The problem I have is the apparent conflict between what I'm required to do as a retailer, with all the laws that cover health and safety, and what the guidelines are for someone who can't wear a mask.
"You don't need to apply for an exemption at all, nor do you have to provide any evidence of having a valid reason.
Neely said some customers come into her shop without masks and "don't have to volunteer any information".
She will ask those not wearing masks to put one on, but it makes it "awkward", she said.
"Sometimes they may have forgotten to put one on, and other times it becomes a confrontation because a simple request is responded to with an immediate negative response.
"They don't have to respond if I ask them, there's no obligation."
The Government has rolled out a new face mask exemption card for people with genuine reasons not to wear one, such as an impairment, health condition, physical disability or mental health reason.
People can now access the card via the Ministry of Health website.
Unlike the old exemptions, the new personalised cards have legal standing and anyone questioning them could be contravening the Human Rights Act.
Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Steve Smith said mask mandates have "lost credibility" with retailers and the public. Photo / Tania Whyte
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the cards would give businesses certainty.
"Sadly, in attempting to verify whether people are genuinely exempt, workers - especially those in retail settings such as supermarkets - have experienced escalating and unsafe behaviour from some customers.
"It's also meant uncomfortable situations, with people needing to explain private health information to strangers, when they're trying to do basic tasks like shopping."
Waipapa Business Association chairman Tyler Bamber said he has "100 per cent empathy with businesses trying to navigate this at the moment".
"There's no consistency to it.
"Retailers have been made the police of the situation. They're the ones told they'll face the fine if their business isn't following the rules.
"It's a no-win situation; you either lose customers or you end up having a chat and you lose their future custom.
"The number one rule in business is you want to welcome your customers and provide good service and you can't do that as well as telling people off."
Bamber said it should be a personal choice.
"The rules are inconsistent and trying to police it clearly isn't working."
Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Steve Smith said the mask mandates had "lost credibility" with Northlanders because of inconsistencies.
"If you're going into a hospitality outlet you're not required to wear a mask but if you go into a standard retail store you do.
"The whole thing has lost credibility with retailers and the public.
"It's an unfair situation to put them [retailers] in."
