NSW businesses must now electronically register customers

A new strict COVID-19 rule is set to come into effect on 23 November, forcing all NSW businesses to electronically register all customers, meaning pen and paper will no longer be accepted as a form of keeping track of customers for contact tracing purposes.

Those who don’t comply with the new rules could face penalties. 

The announcement was made by Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello, who said “Any business that is serious about safety should be using digital registration, such as a QR code or other method of capturing contact details electronically. There are no excuses.”

“We can’t respond to a pandemic with paper. We must be fast and precise and digital is the best way forward.”

Most QR code systems will be accepted but the government would prefer if businesses used the government’s QR code system through the Service NSW smartphone application.

A detailed list of businesses and events that will be directly affected by this new rule was issued by the Customer Service Minister. 

Those businesses include restaurants, cafes and pubs, casinos, beauty salons, hair salons, tattoo parlours and drive-in cinemas. 

Also on the list of affected businesses will be funeral homes, strip clubs and brothels.

Ceremonies such as weddings and funerals will also be affected.

Irit Jackson, 17^th November 2020