Benalla gym owner Scott Upston has demanded answers from Premier Daniel Andrews over restrictions that are keeping his doors closed.
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Mr Upston posted a clip, which he describes as a call to action, urging other gym owners, fitness instructors, or anyone in an industry affected by COVID-19 restrictions to get in touch and help him take his message to the the Premier.
He thanked State Member for Euroa Steph Ryan for returning his call and sitting down to meet with him to hear his concerns on Monday - a courtesy he said he was not afforded by the Premier.
Addressing State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes he said he would like the chance to speak to her to share his concerns with what is happening to the gyms and the fitness industry.
Mr Upston told The Ensign on Monday that Ms Symes had been in touch to say she had passed his concerns on - although at that point no other member of the state government had got in touch.
“Daniel Andrews, up until last Friday I’ve complied (with restrictions), I may not have agreed with everything you have done, but I’ve dug in and done it regardless,” Mr Upston said.
“When you sat there and spoke to the whole of Victoria and said that you did not know who made the decision or authorised the use of private security for the hotel quarantine fiasco that is now upon us, and responsible for the second wave of lockdown, I (was) appalled.
“You are the elected leader of this state.
“You are the number one man.
“If you did not know you have a duty of care, and a responsibility, to find out who did make that decision.”
Mr Upston also addressed Victoria's Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton, saying he believes his decisions are informed by politics not science.
“The pandemic is (a) crisis. But . . . building momentum, and running parallel to that, is a health crisis in our communities which is the mental health and the physical health of the (Victorians) out there that are in a current lockdown.
“Very shortly that will overtake and surpass what is the current health crisis - the pandemic.
“In addition you have been seen to go on record and have identified that gymnasiums or fitness centres are high risk and can cause outbreaks.”
Mr Upston pointed to thousands of gyms in other stats, which he said were operating without a single outbreak.
“They operate with a covid-safe plan,” he said.
“To you Brett Sutton, I ask, display the data and the science that has informed your decision because it is impacting on my life.”
Mr Upston pointed to the fact that while income has dried up, the bills keep coming.
“Every day I wake up (and) I am further . . . in the financial hole that is debt, with no way to trade out,” he said.
“I am selling off assets in order to try and create an opportunity and support my family.
“I have three little boys under the age of 10, I need to support them and have the capacity to support them.
“As you are aware Daniel Andrews JobKeeper decreased this week.
“Not dissimilar to yourself Dan Andrews I’m working significant hours to ensure that the livelihood of my business survives and I’ve got something to come out the other side.
“I know, guaranteed, Dan Andrews you have a job for the next two years – I don’t.
“All I'm asking for is an opportunity.”
Mr Upston met with Steph Ryan on Monday, who has taken up the cause on his his behalf stating the current lockdown, and the second wave could be traced in its entirety to the Andrews Government’s "failures on hotel quarantine and contact tracing".
“Mr Upston said he had lost confidence in Daniel Andrews’ decision making and is on the verge of walking away from his business after not being allowed to open his doors for several months,” Ms Ryan said.
“The health and fitness industry in regional Victoria should be allowed to reopen if they could demonstrate that they can do so safely – as they could during stage three in the first lockdown.
“How does it make sense for gyms to stay closed when hundreds of people can be in Bunnings, kids are back at school and you can sit in the hairdresser’s chair for three hours?
“The Nationals have highlighted in Parliament the inconsistencies between the Premier’s announcement and his published road map, which has business owners in the health and fitness industry in the dark with no date for reopening.
“The Premier’s website, roadmap and the DHHS’ website all stated that gyms could reopen under Step 3 as ‘heavily restricted’, but when the Premier announced the move to Step 3 he verbally advised otherwise.
“Gym owners from across the region are understandably frustrated given there have been no recorded cases of coronavirus transmission in gyms.”
Premier Daniel Andrews has been contacted for comment.