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SYDNEY. – Prime Minister Scott Morrison will scrap a ban on businesses offering alcohol as a reward for getting the Covid-19 jab after a Port Melbourne pub was ordered to stop giving free beers to vaccinated customers.
Australia’s health watchdog, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), contacted the Prince Alfred hotel earlier this week and ordered the venue to stop handing out free pints. While the watchdog’s website states that businesses cannot offer alcohol, tobacco or medicines as incentives to get vaccinated against coronavirus, Morrison labelled the crackdown as “a bit heavy-handed.”
“This is a national interest vaccine program and we will be making some changes to ensure that these good-hearted, good-natured initiatives [can continue],” he said yesterday.
Health Minister Greg Hunt would speak to the TGA and ask them to back down.
“The rules are there for important reasons so drug companies can’t offer [inducements] to people.
“It is a sensible rule, but in these circumstances, the national interest is to get vaccinated. So the Prince Alfred down in Melbourne, good on you for getting behind it. We’ll get it sorted, common sense will prevail. Cheers to the PA,” Morrison said. – TheAge.com
Online Reporter