Hobart's MONA Museum takes a stand on mandatory vaccination
MONA Hobart, leading the way on staff vaccination @ Mark Bowyer Thinking Travel
In the absence of government leadership on mandatory vaccination for the tourism and hospitality industries, David Walsh, maverick founder of Hobart's incredible MONA museum, has taken a stand, dabbled in a persuasive piece of philosophy, and mandated vaccination for staff.
In a memo, since shared on the MONA blog, Walsh reminds his staff that mandates and constraints on freedom for the public good, are everywhere. And that mandatory vaccination is no different.
Walsh’s arguments are refreshingly clear and straightforward and they’re resonating with a battered travel industry anxious about vaccine hesitancy among staff and looking for precedents for mandating vaccination.
He leads his piece with a quote from dissident author Alexander Solzhenitsyn "A society with unlimited rights is incapable of standing to adversity."
The memo goes on to say, "What happens when we want to undertake a journey, but a government-mandated intervention delays it, because, they say, it serves the greater good? Is that an infringement on our rights?
I’m talking about traffic lights. Today, while taking the kids to school, I had to wait for a total of six minutes while cars went somewhere else."
And concludes, "A few staff might think we are trampling on their rights, but the one right they think we are restricting doesn’t exist. Our staff don’t have the right to trample on the rights of their colleagues."
MONA’s David Walsh is leading the vaccination conversation @ Mark Bowyer Thinking Travel
Australia has been dancing around the issue of mandatory vaccination for workers and customers. Some countries have openly embraced vaccine passports - making life more straightforward for business.
With COVID outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne continuing to grow, there isn't a day when the Prime Minister and state premiers don’t implore Australians to get vaccinated. The word “mandate” is the problem. The PM, who has deftly perfected the art of vacating thorny pandemic questions, from quarantine to vaccine procurement, has now expressed a reluctance to make a call on government cover for companies mandating vaccination.
This is especially difficult for tourism and hospitality businesses - the smaller the business, the bigger the issues with legal implications. What is the local cafe supposed to do?
It’s easier for the big guys and first to buy in was Qantas, announcing that vaccination would be mandated for staff and passengers. Qantas followed up with its beautiful Fly Away ad.
Qantas Fly Away vaccination ad
Other major businesses in travel and tourism have bought in with decisions to mandate vaccination.
Running one of the coolest tourism venues in Australia gives Walsh special authority.
As vaccination rates rise, and the day of a national opening draws nearer, the mandate questions (and vaccination passports) will become more pressing. Walsh has taken us a little step closer but a lack of clarity for small business remains.