CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The line of eager patrons waiting to get into the Lord Kidman Hotel stretched an entire city block last night, as Betoota residents came out in force to watch the Sydney Sixers nab a 27-run win over Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League final.
However, the images of frustrated cricket fans now being shared on social media did not necessarily translate to takings over the bar, says publican Greg Plonkson.
“We didn’t even reach capacity” he says.
“The only reason people had to line up was because there was a bottle neck at the QR Code…”
“There are some members of our community still struggling with the concept of checking in to venues…”
“I think you all know who I’m talking about”
Ever since the local economy re-opened after last year’s nationwide March lockdown, digital QR codes have become an efficient way for businesses to collect personal details to comply with industrial contact tracing obligations.
With the Federal Government’s special tracing app found to be a giant waste of data and tax-payer dollars, the success of the QR Codes has seen them made mandatory in most Australian states and territories.
The black-and-white codes can be read by smartphones and take people to online personal information forms.
However, as fool-proof and streamlined as this process is, the concept of a QR code check ins is still quite a hurdle for those that we born in the post-war baby boom of from 1946 to 1964.
Greg Plonkson, a baby boomer himself, says it’s not brain surgery.
“Have a look a this mob over here” he says, nodding towards two flustered grey nomads currently attempting to check into his venue.
The flustered boomers go by the names of Barbara and Clayton Miles (both 68) from Bedourie.
Despite the fact that both of them have used QR Codes upwards of 100 times since the technology was introduced into Queensland pubs last year, the couple are once again treading water in chaotic confusion, as they wait for a teenage glassie to help them.
“Okay, righto, so how do we do this again?” asks Barbara, loud enough for a young person to overhear and eventually do it for her.
With no one coming to their aid, Clayton suggests just taking an iPhone photo of the QR code will be enough, surely.
Upon being informed by a passing hygiene marshal that taking a photo of the QR code actually achieves nothing in the way of contact tracing, both boomers begin to get frustrated.
With the pressure mounting, Barbara does what most post-war Australians do when things get too difficult, and blame the world for changing.
“OH HOW RIDICULOUS!” she bursts, in full boomer tantrum mode.
“HOW ON EARTH IS THIS LITTLE PICTURE IS GOING TO STOP US FROM CATCHING THIS BLOODY VIRUS!?”
Clayton agrees.
“Annastacia is an idiot” he mutters.
MORE TO COME.
