John Vandenberg thinks it is "ridiculous" that people are allowed to sing at church but not at pubs in a measure the government has implemented to try and stop the spread of COVID across the state.
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The owner of the Blind Pig was even more outraged when news came to light that NSW Police ruled out fining the organisers of a Hillsong church youth camp where crowds were filmed flouting "both the spirit and intent" of COVID-19 public health orders.
"It would be the same as if they said you can sing at a pub but you can't sing at church, people would bring up religious discrimination," he said.
"This is discrimination against people's right to let their hair down on a weekend."
Singing and dancing was banned in hospitality venues, entertainment facilities, nightclubs and major recreation facilities from January 8, although the order does not apply to religious services including weddings.
In a statement, Hillsong said the summer camp event is "not similar to a musical festival in any way" and that "a video circulating on social media (on Thursday) reflects a few minutes of this part of the program."
Mr Vandenberg said in the week after the new restrictions came in, his business' revenue dropped by 65 per cent.
"I can guarantee that this no singing and dancing as (the government's) main attack on trying to control COVID won't do anything," he added.
"The restrictions have been here more than a week now and have the case numbers dropped? No they haven't."
On the day the new restrictions came into place, the state recorded 45,098 COVID cases, up from 38,625 and 34,994 the two days prior.
The four days after January 8, the state's average daily numbers were 27,746, although that number has since shot up due to rapid antigen tests now being included in the figures.
But it isn't just religious groups where Mr Vandenberg sees a double standard.
"We're all jumping around, screaming and angry about it but we don't have the backing like major sports with gambling and advertising," he said.
"Just look at the cricket, that's the thing that really pissed me off watching the cricket. I love it, but seeing 30,000 people sitting there screaming and singing and the Barmy Army singing, but nothing was done about that."
Mr Vandenberg added that venues like his were already doing it tough with potential patrons cancelling bookings left, right and centre because of the ongoing COVID outbreak.
"The place is about absolute inclusiveness and now we can't do it," he said.
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