Queensland's deputy premier has told grumpy publicans to suck it up after the state's top health officer reimposed a ban on pub-goers standing at bars or high tables.
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Steven Miles, who is also health minister, said the social distancing rule that patrons must be seated when eating and drinking will help venues remain open during the coronavirus pandemic.
"We do not want to get to the point where we have to close down businesses again," he told reporters on Saturday.
"While I understand these new restrictions make doing business and having a drink a little bit harder, it is not too much to sacrifice to keep the doors open and keep all those workers employed."
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young reinstated the health restriction late on Friday, causing vocal frustration among some venue operators, many of whom have only recently fully reopened due to COVID-19 rules.
The ruling means patrons must be seated when eating and drinking but can still order from the bar. The number of people allowed in venues will remain the same.
Queensland recorded no new cases of coronavirus overnight.
However, Mr Miles said his team remained on high alert as COVID-19 continues to spread among the community in southern states.
"For as long as there are this level of new active cases and particularly unsourced community transmission in Victoria we will keep those restrictions in place," he said.
He reminded Queenslanders in the hotspot of Fairfield in NSW they have until 1am on Monday to return home or face mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense.
"If they are not Queenslanders they will be either turned around at the border or the airport and sent home," Mr Miles said.
More than 45 cases of the illness have been confirmed in the Western Sydney locality after an outbreak at a Thai restaurant.
The localities of Liverpool and Campbelltown in NSW and the state of Victoria also remain on the hotspot list.
Earlier, Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer pledged more support to battle domestic violence, which has surged during the coronavirus crisis.
The funding will allow extra domestic violence workers to be embedded at five police stations in the state's southeast to help police.
"It will greatly increase specialist capacity at these stations to respond to Queenslanders living with violence at home," Ms Farmer said.
Australian Associated Press
