Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle with Springwood resident Janette Stanborough.
Confusion over mandatory electronic sign-in to enter venues has caused some elderly residents to avoid going out to cafes and restaurants, according to Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle.
Ms Doyle has appealed to the NSW government to clarify the digital sign-in process after receiving negative feedback from residents and business about the system, introduced last month.
“The government has not provided sufficient information and guidelines about QR codes and sign-in processes,” she said.
“Some constituents fear they will not be able to enter venues if they don’t have a mobile phone. I understand that digital alternatives are available, so it appears there has been a failure in communicating this information adequately.”
Ms Doyle said other concerns raised include some phones not working with the QR code and having to repeatedly sign-in to the Service NSW app.
“There are also fears about hacking and data-mining, including claims that people have noticed an increase in telemarketing calls since using the QR app,” she said.
“One of my main concerns is that this is a daunting process for our elderly residents. I have reports that some are avoiding going out to venues because they are nervous about the sign-in process.
“Also, businesses have reported a lack of information about set up and requirements.”
NSW customer service minister Victor Dominello said the government has not mandated the use of QR codes, but digital record keeping in “order to assist our NSW Health contact tracers to do their vital work in the most efficient way possible”.
“While we encourage businesses to use the Service NSW QR code, they are free to use other means to electronically record patrons’ names and contact details at the point of entry to their venue,” he said.
“More than 34,000 businesses have downloaded the government’s QR code, with 94 per cent of customers giving it the thumbs up.
“For customers who do not have access to a smartphone, venues should record their contact details and time of entry using an electronic device. If there is an internet outage, venues can record the necessary contact details manually and then enter them electronically, for example into a spreadsheet such as Excel.”
If customers have any questions they can call Service NSW on 13 77 88.
This article first appeared in the Blue Mountains Gazette.
