Best Shot for Travel: Vaccination and Your Business

There is continued focus on vaccination as the most viable pathway to the return of travel, with the tourism industry getting behind Tourism Australia’s recently launched ‘Best Shot for Travel’ campaign, which encourages Australians to get vaccinated to be ready to go as soon as restrictions ease.

Currently, vaccination rates in Western Australia remain the lowest in the country, and our State’s interstate borders are likely to be the last to reopen in the country. This could leave Western Australia at a disadvantage when it comes to gaining domestic market share, in the context of what is projected to be a fiercely competitive travel environment.

While MRBTA is working with partners including Australia’s South West and Tourism Western Australia to prepare to attract domestic visitation to the region – with projects including the South West Wanderer Pass and Margaret River Region Interstate Market Drive Trails, increasing vaccination rates is one of the most pressing immediate hurdles facing the region, the State and the country more broadly.

MRBTA’s Position

MRBTA has an internal position to promote the importance of vaccination for the following reasons:

• As an employer, we have a duty of care to do whatever is in our power to safeguard the health of our workforce and their families.
• As an operator, we have a duty to provide as safe an environment as possible to our visitors.
• As a lead industry association, we have a duty to provide leadership and direction to our members.
• As a responsible community organisation, we have a duty to provide encouragement and leadership to help protect the broader community.

MRBTA’s internal vaccination targets for our 125 staff members are:

• 70% of staff vaccinated by 14th October 2021
• 80% by 31 October 2021
• 100% by end of November

Our targets do not include those staff who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons.

Vaccination and Your Business

If you are looking for advice on dealing with vaccinations in the workplace, there is useful advice available from the organisations below:

• The FairWork Ombudsman has released updated guidelines on COVID-19 vaccinations: workplace rights and obligations.Tips and advice for employers wishing to support their staff in getting vaccinated include providing leave or paid time off for employees to get vaccinated, and helping to ensure employees have access to reliable and up-to-date information about the effectiveness of vaccinations.

• The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia (CCIWA) in conjunction with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has released an employer guide for its members, containing advice on:
  • Talking to staff about vaccinations;
  • Implementing mandatory vaccinations;
  • Offering incentives to encourage employees to get vaccinated;
  • Potential liabilities if employees have an adverse reaction to vaccines; and
  • Asking employees about their vaccination status.