Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

Gym owner calls for online protest over new NSW fitness club regulations

Gym owner calls for online protest over new NSW fitness club regulations
August 9, 2020

NSW gym owner has called for industry stakeholders to join in an online day of protest on Friday 14th August calling on NSW and Federal Government ministers, decision makers and influencers "to reverse or at the very least change the COVID Marshal rule to make it fairer".

Since 1st August, the NSW Government has required all gyms to have a 'COVID marshal' on site at all times to ensure COVIDSafe hygiene at all times.

Required to ensure all aspects of facilities' COVID-19 Safety Plans are maintained, the ruling effectively means that fitness facilities in NSW must be staffed at all times.

Highlighting the pressures that fitness clubs have endured during the Coronavirus crisis, Snap Fitness franchisee Dave McNamara has launched the 24hr Gym Industry website, where he has published a lengthy essay 'Enough is enough' emphasising that since reopening after March's Coronavirus shutdown "there has been virtually no transmission of COVID-19 inside gyms."

McNamara writes "this is remarkable considering the usage that we get as a collective industry (and) clearly proves that gyms - with all of the correct measures in place - prior to this latest restriction are LOW RISK.

"In the last month alone there have been hundreds of cases of community transmission linked to pubs and restaurants and yet these industries are where the government have been the weakest. Thanks to heavy lobbying by the pub industry they managed to negotiate a limit on capacity, group bookings and having a Covid Marshal in businesses that are always staffed anyway. All of which they could have implemented overnight and yet the government gave them a week and a half to do it.

"They gave us (gym operators. ed) just 48 hours to make a complete change to our business model. This just goes to show what the (NSW) Government thinks of our industry and that they have little to no understanding of what we do and how we do it.

"As we already know from Queensland gym owners, reducing trading hours means more members during peak times. If asked, we would have told the NSW Government that the safest option is allow gyms to continue to operate 24/7 thus spreading usage and having less people in the club at the same time."

McNamara goes on to contend that "staffing a gym will make NO DIFFERENCE to the number of new cases in the state (and that) the COVID Marshal rule is completely and utterly UNFAIR.

"All year our industry has been pushed around by the Government and vilified by the media. It’s time for the NSW 24 hour gym industry to stand up for itself. 

"Gym memberships across the country are already down by at least 30% on pre-covid numbers. The financial impact of this additional staffing requirement will see many gyms shut their doors permanently."

He also notes "gyms are operating to a COVIDSafe plan, have social distancing measures in place including signage and spacing equipment, gyms have audio and visual warnings about the COVIDSafe rules, gyms have ample disinfectant facilities including multiple disinfectant wipe stations and hand sanitiser stations, gyms require members to use a towel on equipment and gyms have very regular cleaning routines. We can also easily track every single person that visits facilities and the dates/times that they visited. 

"This is the bare minimum of what every operating Australian 24hr gym is currently doing in the fight against COVID-19. The Government say they are concerned that equipment won't be cleaned outside of staffed hours ... but I can't think of another industry that have gone to the same lengths of the 24hr gym industry. 

"We've been doing most of the above for years and have developed a culture amongst the users of our facilities through the rules we have developed. This a culture of cleanliness. Our members were following these rules well before the pandemic. 

"When was the last time, especially before the pandemic, that you went into a pub or restaurant and wiped down everything you touched before and after you used it?"

Online Protest on Friday 14th August
Going on to say that "the Government doesn't care, the media won't listen and our industry body is doing very little", McNamara has called for a day of protest on Friday 14th August.

Here, he is calling for gym owners, club staff and industry stakeholders to email, mail, Facebook message and call all of the key decision makers and influencers in the NSW and Federal Government asking them to reverse or at the very least change the COVID Marshal rule to make it fairer.

Providing an extensive list of ministerial contacts - including NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian; NSW Labor Leader, Jodi McKay and Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison - he notes “it's vital that this is a co-ordinated effort by the industry so here are few steps that you will need to take to make this happen.”

The site also provides letters, emails and messages to forward.

McNamara concludes “now is the time to act so that we can create a positive change for our industry.”

For more information go to www.24hrgymindustry.com.au/

About the author

Nigel Benton

Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management

Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.

With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.

Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.

In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.

He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).

In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.

As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.

Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.

His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.

His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well, until February 2025 when she left us, caring a little pug named Stella.

Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.

Read more from this author

Related Articles

7th August 2020 - Fitness First introduces attendee temperature checks at NSW clubs

6th August 2020 - Blue Magic Supply launch new sanitising products for fitness and sport industry

5th August 2020 - NSW gyms introduce temperature testing and COVID marshals to reduce member Coronavirus risks

31st July 2020 - FILEX to return as organisers commit to future fitness trade show

21st July 2020 - Technogym’s Nerio Alessandri says ‘gyms are safe’

19th July 2020 - Without JobKeeper 60% of Australian fitness businesses will close in less than a month

17th July 2020 - Reopening approved for Plus Fitness Campbelltown following temporary COVID-19 closure

16th July 2020 - Planet Fitness takes ‘vigorous steps’ to limit community transmission of Coronavirus

15th July 2020 - Campbelltown Aquafit assures members with recognition of its ‘Gold Standard’ COVID-19 compliance

1st July 2020 - Fitness Australia calls for Queensland Government to release Stage 3 Industry COVIDSafe Plan

15th June 2020 - Fitness Australia calls for national consistency in state government gym reopenings

14th June 2020 - Australian Institute of Fitness’ Steve Pettit says industry ‘will never look the same as it did pre COVID-19’

11th June 2020 - Fitness First to reopen NSW gyms from Saturday

10th June 2020 - Fitness Australia releases new industry code of ethics

26th May 2020 - Call for fitness industry stakeholders around the world to unite on 1st June

7th April 2020 - Two-thirds of the world’s fitness clubs are currently closed

7th January 2020 - Queensland Government once again singles out fitness clubs for fair trading warning

12th March 2019 - New marketing strategies needed to drive ongoing growth of 24/7 gyms

8th April 2018 - IBISWorld shows that 24/7 budget gyms have transformed Australian fitness

2nd February 2018 - NSW Fair Trading advises consumers to only sign up with Fitness Australia affiliated gyms

21st March 2017 - 24/7 gyms need to consider security

11th August 2016 - Time Running Out for Businesses to review contracts for unfair terms

12th October 2014 - 24/7 fitness trend shows no sign of slowing

24th September 2014 - 24/7 gyms increase to 26% of all gyms and fitness centres

29th May 2013 - NSW Fair Trading Commissioner reminds consumers of gym membership rights and responsibilities


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

Clubware

Clubware’s online gym software is not your run of the mill management system. It has been carefully designed to incorporate all the elements that a fitness club would need. How did we do that?…

read more

Access / Billing / Fitness / Recreation

 
 

TPEC Pool Enclosures

TPEC Pool Enclosures provide a large range of premium commercial and residential retractable swimming pool, spa and terrace enclosures throughout Australia, servicing residential, local government…

read more

Aquatics / Design / Recreation / Venues

 
 

Fun Wheels Pty Ltd

Fun Wheels Pty Ltd are the premium dealer in Australasia for the Dutch company BERG’s commercial and domestic products. Our flagship product is their revolutionary pedal go-kart – the…

read more

Attractions / Tourism / Venues

 
 

VITEC

Stadiums and venues around the world recognise that success hinges on more than just what happens on the pitch. More than ever, fan engagement within each facility is a critical part of the overall…

read more

Entertainment / Sport / Technology / Venues

 
 

Riedel Communications Australia Pty Ltd

We live for media production and global events, providing real-time networks for video, audio, data and communications.

read more

Entertainment / Events / Technology / Venues

 
 

24/7 Software

The world's greatest properties run on 24/7 Software Whether at commercial properties, corporate facilities, sports arenas, or public entertainment venues, we're proud to lead the way in…

read more

Entertainment / Security / Sport / Technology / Venues

 
 

Links Modular Solutions

Links Modular Solutions was a leading provider of high-quality, innovative software solutions for aquatic and recreation facilities. Links Modular Solutions is now part of Xplor Technologies.

read more

Access / Billing / Finance / Fitness / Technology

 
 

Elite Pool Covers

Since 1989 Elite Pool Covers have designed and manufactured an extensive range of high quality affordable manual,semi-automatic and fully-automatic pool cover systems for the harsh Australian…

read more

Aquatics / Environment / Technology / Venues

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business