Inverell councillor demands double vaccination policy for council meeting attendees

While NSW residents have to prove their vaccination status to enter hairdressers, pubs, and entertainment venues the same rules do not apply for council meetings.

Describing the decision as "nonsense", Inverell Shire councillor Mal Peters has put forward a recommendation to council which, if approved, would require all councillors to be double vaccinated to attend meetings.

"It's silly it just doesn't make sense to me," he said.

"There's no restriction at all.

"It seems very odd you can go to council meetings without having to be double vaccinated."

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With only 73 per cent of eligible residents double vaccinated, Cr Peters said he was worried the region's vaccination rates were not yet high enough, especially with restrictions easing from November 1.

"The reality is that it's [COVID] more than likely going to come to town."

Cr Peters has proposed that until councillors are double vaccinated they should attend meetings via video link, which he deemed a reasonable request given the council's ability to move online earlier this year.

"We've done video links on council meetings and they're not a problem."

Tamworth Mayor Col Murray said Tamworth Regional Council was not considering a similar move.

He said they would rather leave the decision for the "experts" and follow advice from the NSW government.

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